Aprotinin reduces blood loss during spinal surgery in children.

Study Design: A prospective blinded, randomized controlled study compared the effect of a perioperative infusion of aprotinin versus placebo during long segment spinal fusions in children.

Objectives: To determine whether aprotinin decreases blood loss and transfusion requirements in pediatric patients with spinal deformities undergoing posterior spinal fusions of seven or greater segments.

Summary Of Background Data: Blood loss is a major cause of morbidity during long segment spinal fusion.

Emergence behaviour in children: defining the incidence of excitement and agitation following anaesthesia.

Background: Children display a variety of behaviour during anaesthetic recovery. The purpose of this study was to study the frequency and duration of emergence behaviour in children following anaesthesia and the factors that alter the incidence of various emergence behaviour following anaesthesia.

Methods: A prospective study of children who required outpatient lower abdominal surgery was designed to determine an incidence and duration of emergence agitation.

Sevoflurane versus halothane: effect of oxycodone premedication on emergence behaviour in children.

Background: Clinical studies have provided conflicting conclusions about whether the frequency of emergence agitation is increased in children following sevoflurane anaesthesia. The purpose of the study was to determine a frequency and duration of agitation with halothane and sevoflurane anaesthesia and whether oxycodone premedication affected the incidence of emergence agitation in children.

Methods: We measured and compared halothane and sevoflurane recovery in 130 patients using a 5-point scale measuring emergence behaviour every 10 min during the first 60 min of recovery or until discharge.