An investigation of capnography and pulse oximetry as monitors of pediatric patients sedated for dental treatment.

Traditional methods of monitoring sedated pediatric dental patients have major shortcomings. This study evaluated the use of capnography in conjunction with pulse oximetry for monitoring children during conscious sedation for dental treatment. The specific purposes of the study were to determine if capnography would: (1) detect ventilatory changes that subsequently cause an oxyhemoglobin desaturation as detected by pulse oximetry; and (2) detect an airway obstruction. Ten pediatric dental patients (mean age 2 years, 10 months) were sedated with 75 mg/kg of chloral hydrate in strict accordance with the Guidelines for the Elective Use of Conscious Sedation, Deep Sedation, and General Anesthesia in Pediatric Patients of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatrics (1985). All patients were monitored continuously using both capnography and pulse oximetry. Analysis of data obtained using these monitors revealed that specific end-tidal CO2 values were not predictive for subsequent oxyhemoglobin desaturations and that capnography was very accurate in detecting complete obstruction of the airway. Pulse oximetry revealed that all patients had mild oxyhemoglobin desaturations and that 50% had moderate desaturations.