Dexmedetomidine versus Ketamine for the Prevention of Emergence Agitation in Pediatric: A Prospective, Randomized, and Controlled Clinical Trial

Background: This study compares the effect of dexmedetomidine versus Ketamine for the prevention of emergence agitation in children undergoing general anaesthesia. Method: 75 Children are randomly allocated into three groups. Group C: Were assigned to receive normal saline. Group K: Were assigned to receive Ketamine 0.25 mg/kg. Group D: assigned to receive 0.25 ug /kg of dexmedetomidine, before the end of surgery. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in demographic data and intraoperative parameters between the three groups. But as regards to time to discharge, there was a significant difference between group C, group K and group D (group C = 39.96 ± 2.84, group K = 37.28 ± 3.80, group D = 35.08 ± 3.36 and P value = 0.0002). FLACC scale was low after extubation, before leaving the operating room and on arrival to PACU (small FLACC scale in group K, D than group C). PAED scoreless in Group K and Group D than Group C (postoperative, at 10 minutes, 20 min, 30 min). Conclusion: Ketamine and dexmedetomidine reduced the incidence and severity of emergence delirium effectively when compared to normal saline, and the effects of dexmedetomidine being much superior to Ketamine.