Original Article

Skin Wounds and Abscesses in Children Conscious Sedation and Analgesia in Emergency

Zuccon William
World Journal of Trauma and Critical Care Medicine 2014, 2:1

Abstract

Aim

Use of conscious sedation and analgesia in the treatment of the skin wounds or subcutaneous abscesses in children in order to minimize the “procedural” pain.

Methods

Were performed 37 consecutive procedures of conscious sedation and analgesia in urgency and in selected pediatric patients, mostly for the suture of superficial wounds and grazes and/or cutting and for the drainage of subcutaneous abscesses. The extemporaneous sedoanalgesia was performed with a mixture of 50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen inhaled through a face mask and with the patient breathing spontaneously. The following dedicated treatment was performed at least three minutes after the administration of the medicinal gas.

Results

All patients completed the treatment, the analgesic and anxiolytic effects were effective. No major complications occurred and the dimission was early in all cases, except one case of sudden pronounced postprocedural sedative effect regressed after five minutes of observation and oxygen at 100%.

Considerations

The pain is often influenced by both subjective threshold of the patient to the sensation of pain, but also from emotional responses based on individual experiences. The conscious sedoanalgesia is indicated for the treatment of short duration pain, when is requesting a rapid analgesic and anxiolytic action or limited in duration to perform minor pediatric procedures. The medicament has a short on- and offset-time and a fast recovery after a slight alteration of the perception of space and time, with modest side effects.

Conclusions

The inhalative analgesia is easy to apply and is effective in ‘short-term’ operations in urgency, for the treatment of skin wounds or subcutaneous abscesses. The advantages of this method affect a high level of enjoyment and satisfaction for the patient, for the parents and for the health workers.

Key words

Inhalative analgesia, wound, abscess.

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