Gabapentin premedication for postoperative analgesia and emergence agitation after sevoflurane anesthesia in pediatric patients

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gabapentin premedication on postoperative 24th hour total analgesic consumption and the incidence of emergence agitation after sevoflurane based anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoingtonsillectomyandadenoidectomy. Methods: 46 healthy, ASA class I or II, aged 3-12 year old children were included into the study. The patients were randomly assigned to one of the control (Group C) or gabapentin group (Group G) consisting of 23 patients in each. Group C received 10 ml of saline, Group G received gabapentin 15 mg. kg(-1) dissolved in 10 ml of saline orally 30 min. before the induction of anesthesia. After anesthesia induction with 8% sevoflurane in 50% O-2 - N2O. General anesthesia was maintained with 1 MAC sevoflurane in 50% O-2 - N2O. Emergence agitation was assessed with a 5 point scale and recorded every 10 min. of first 30 min. of the postoperative period. Parents were contacted 24 hours after the surgery to evaluate pain, total analgesic consumption, parent satisfactionandanysideeffect. Results: Agitation scores were significantly lower in group G compared to group C in the postoperative 20th and 30th minutes (p<0.01, 0.05 respectively). Total analgesic requirement in postoperative 24 hour was significantly lower in group G (p<0.01). Satisfaction scores of parents was also higher in group G (p<0.05). Conclusion: Gabapentin premedication decreases postoperative 24th hour analgesic consumption and attenuates emergence agitation after sevoflurane anesthesia.