Rectal induction of anaesthesia in children with methohexitone. Patient acceptability and clinical pharmacokinetics.

Rectal induction of anaesthesia with 10% methohexitone 100 mg ml-1 was used in 50 healthy children, using a standard dose of 25 mg/kg body weight. The absorption of methohexitone was rapid and reliable: the children fell asleep within 10-15 min. The plasma concentration peaked at 10-15 min and then decayed rapidly. The terminal half-life of rectal methohexitone was 1-2 h. Overall patient acceptability was good, and there were no major complications.