Use of intravenous methohexital as a sedative in pediatric emergency departments.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of intravenous methohexital as a sedative in children undergoing emergency computed tomographic scans. DESIGN Case series. SETTING An urban pediatric emergency department at a level I trauma center. PARTICIPANTS Patients receiving intravenous methohexital for sedation to undergo emergency computed tomographic scans. METHODS Descriptive data were generated, including demographics, doses administered, times of sedation, outcomes, and complications. RESULTS Data are reported from a total of 55 patients. The doses administered ranged from 0.5 mg/kg to 2.0 mg/kg (mean +/- SD, 1 +/- 0.5 mg/kg). Onset of sedation was rapid (mean +/- SD, 1 +/- 0.4 minutes), sedation was brief (mean +/- SD, 12 +/- 5 minutes), and the mean +/- SD length of the drug's effects was 14 +/- 6 minutes. Sedation was effective in most cases, and only a few patients had complications. CONCLUSION Intravenous methohexital is a short-acting and effective sedative for use in pediatric emergency departments to obtain computed tomographic scans.