Evaluation of a Device for Administering Anesthetic to Children to Reducing Induction Time

Abstract

Children aged between 3-8 years of age would not normally consent to anesthetic administering using a respiratory mask to cover the mouth. Children resisted or refused to cooperate because they had bad experience and fearful attitude toward the services and environment that they have never encountered before. As such, it would affect their mental state, causing stress and creating further emotional problems. Crying causes excretion of mucus, sputum and tears which are a catalyst to broncho-spasm during hypnotic induction. These are dangerous complications resulting in longer hospital stay. In this regard, the authors have developed a device to reduce fear by attaching a bubble blowing toy with the anesthetic gas. At the time of anesthetic induction, the child would be urged to play the toy; and the blowing process would result in inhalation of the anesthetic gas and became drowsy. Thus, anesthesia would be successful without causing negative attitude toward the treatment. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of this anesthetic induction device. Thirty child patients were recruited into the study; and they were divided into the study group (15 patients) using the toy device and the control group (15 patients) using the traditional equipment. It was found that the induction time among the study group was significantly shorter than that of the control group: an average of 5 minutes (with the range from 3 to 8) compared to 15 minutes (with the range from 13 to 18), p-<0.001 using independent t-test. There were no complications observed in both groups. Thus the toy device should be widely promoted for anesthesia in children.