Preliminary experience with a combination of dexmedetomidine and propofol infusions for diagnostic cardiac catheterization in children.

No specific regimen has been universally accepted as ideal for procedural sedation during cardiac catheterization in infants and children. In this paper, we retrospectively describe our preliminary experience with a continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine and propofol for sedation during cardiac catheterization in children with congenital heart disease. The short-half life of these two drugs creates a potential for easier titration, quicker recovery and less prolonged sedation-related adverse effects. This combination was not only able to limit the dose of either drugs, but was also very stable from cardio-respiratory standpoint. There were no adverse effects noted in our two patients. This initial experience showed that the combination of propofol and dexmedetomidine as a continuous infusion may be a suitable alternative for sedation in spontaneously breathing children undergoing cardiac catheterization.