EEG monitoring during midazolam/propofol anesthesia in children

Background and Purpose: Propofol is a rapid, short acting intravenous anesthetic which acts by blocking the access of information to the cerebral cortex via the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor. There have been reports of rare excitatory adverse effects (including epileptic activity), especially in children after the use of propofol. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of propofol on electroencephalogram (EEG) in children during anesthesia procedure. Patients and Methods: Forty children, undergoing diagnostic urological procedures were randomized into two groups. One group received propofol for induction and maintenance of anesthesia and nasally administered midazolam before induction. The control group received thiopental for induction and halothane for maintenance. Results: No epileptic discharges or excitatory adverse effects were observed in our study. Conclusion: On the basis of our results we may conclude that adequate doses of propofol together with midazolam medication will not produce excitatory adverse effects or epileptogenic EEG activity in children. There was no significant difference between midazolam/propofol and thiopental/halothane anesthesia with regard to EEG activity in children.