CONTEXT Agitation and psychosis are common in Alzheimer disease and cause considerable morbidity. We attempted to delay or to prevent agitation and psychosis with the use of divalproex sodium (valproate). OBJECTIVE To determine whether treatment with valproate could delay or prevent emergence of agitation or psychosis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, p...

BACKGROUND Emergence agitation is common after nasal surgery. We investigated the effects of intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion on emergence agitation and quality of recovery after nasal surgery in adult patients. METHODS One hundred patients undergoing nasal surgery were randomized into two groups. The dexmedetomidine group (Group D, n=50) received dexmedetomidine infusion at a rate of ...

BACKGROUND Intraoperative dexmedetomidine may decrease postoperative emergence agitation in elderly patients due to its sedative effect. In this study, we evaluated the effect of adjuvant dexmedetomidine on smooth emergence from anaesthesia after orthopaedic surgery in elderly patients. METHODS A total 115 patients (ASA I-II, aged over 65 years) were randomly allocated into four groups. Anaes...

E MERGENCE agitation (EA) in children, also called postanesthetic or postoperative delirium, agitation, or excitement in children, is a specific pediatric postoperative complication. Its reported incidence ranges from 2 to 80%. This explains in part why it is usually considered as a part of the “normal” emergence process by many pediatric anesthesiologists. However, for those who episodically c...

OBJECTIVE Postoperative agitation in children is a well-documented clinical phenomenon with incidence ranging from 10% to 67%. There is no definitive explanation for this agitation. Possible causes include rapid awakening in unfamiliar settings, pain (wounds, sore throat, bladder distension, etc.), stress during induction, hypoxemia, airway obstruction, noisy environment, anesthesia duration, c...

BACKGROUND Dexmedetomidine, a specific α(2) agonist, has an analgesic-sparing effect and reduces emergence agitation. We compared an intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion with bolus fentanyl to reduce perioperative opioid use and decrease emergence agitation in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome undergoing adenotonsillectomy (T&A). METHODS One hundred twenty-two patients with ob...

Background: Pre-anesthetic medication is often required in children to provide anxiolysis and to lessen the psychological impact of hospitalization and procedures. In this study, we compared the effects of intravenous ketamine versus thiopental on the separation anxiety and emergence agitation in children undergoing tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy. Methods: Eighty-two children aged 2-8 years schedu...

PURPOSE Dexmedetomidine, a potent selective α2-adrenergic agonist, produces sedation and analgesia. This study was conducted to assess the effect of dexmedetomidine infusion on sevoflurane requirements, recovery profiles, and emergence agitation in children undergoing ambulatory surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty children undergoing ambulatory hernioplasty or orchiopexy were randomized into...