Sedation for children undergoing cardiac catheterization: a review of literature.

Management of children with congenital heart disease has been a great challenge for anaesthesiologists especially during cardiac catheterization. General anaesthesia with positive pressure ventilation can alter the intra-cardiac pressures as well as shunt fraction. Therefore deep sedation with pain free and spontaneously breathing patient on room air is preferred by the cardiac interventionist. A wide variety of drug regimens have been used for both general anaesthesia and monitored anaesthesia care. We reviewed the most common drugs used during the last 50 years for this procedure. The advent of new drugs has given better control on the level and duration of sedation with decreased untoward effects. A complete understanding of pathophysiology of the disease as well as the effects of intervention in a particular individual can provide a safe anaesthetic management.