Effectiveness and Safety of Intravenous Sedation with Propofol in Non-Operating Room Anesthesia (NORA) for Dental Treatment in Uncooperative Paediatric Patients.

Background: Uncooperative children require sedative approach for dental treatment. The aim was to assess the effectiveness of Propofol in "Non-Operating Room Anesthesia" (NORA) for paediatric dental treatment; intraoperative side effects; postoperative side effects; post-discharge effects.

Methods: a prospective study, involving 109 uncooperative children undergoing sedation in NORA using Propofol for dental treatment, was performed. Working sessions, success/failure, intraoperative and postoperative side effects, number of treatment; type of procedure were assessed. Parents completed a post-discharge questionnaire on: pain; crying; fever; vomiting; headache; drowsiness; excitability; irritability; ability to eat; drugs and medical care needing.

Results: Success: 96.7%. Intraoperative side effects: 33.3%. Postoperative side effects: 6.4%. Statistically significant association between: intraoperative side effects and age ( = 0.001), health status ( = 0.0007), weight ( = 0.038), respectively; intraoperative side effects and number/ type of dental treatment ( = 0.0055) and scaling ( = 0.0001), respectively. For post-discharge questionnaires, statistically significant association between: age and crying ( = 0.0001) and headache ( = 0.002), respectively; health status and crying ( = 0.015) and drugs needing ( = 0.04), respectively; weight and crying ( = 0.0004); extraction and pain ( = 0.0001) and crying (= 0.0073), respectively; scaling and crying ( = 0.04), excitability and irritability ( = 0.03), respectively.

Conclusion: Propofol in NORA was effective with minimal side effects.