ORAL PAEDIATRIC PREMEDICATION: A comparative trail of either phenobarbitone, trimeprazine or diazepam with hyoscine, prior to guillotine tonsillectomy

Abstract

A method of assessment of premedication is described, which is derived largely from that employed by Doughty (1959, 1962) but modified for inhalational induction of anaesthesia. The results of a double-blind clinical trial are presented comparing phenobarbitone 2 mg/lb. (4.4 mg/kg), trimeprazine 1.5 mg/lb. (3.3 mg/kg), or diazepam 0.1 mg/lb. (0.22 mg/kg), with hyoscine given 1½ hours before a standard inhalational induction and anaesthetic with nitrous oxide, oxygen and halothane for guillotine tonsillectomy. Although none of the drugs proved ideal it is suggested that because of its consistently good pre-operative effects and its lack of undesirable side effects at any stage diazepam was the best of the drugs tested.