Studies of drugs given before anaesthesia. XVI. Oral diazepam and trimeprazine for adenotonsillectomy.

A study was undertaken to evaluate diazepam (Valium) and trimeprazine (Vallergan) for oral pre-anaesthetic medication in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy, and their effect on blood loss during surgery. The method of anaesthesia and observation was standard throughout. Both premedicants were considered by anaesthetists and nursing staff to be equally satisfactory. However, salivation was troublesome with diazepam and the surgeon preferred trimeprazine because of the lesser blood loss and its antisialogogue effect. The study demonstrated the importance of pre-operative crying and tachycardia in increasing bleeding.