Pediatric sedation--evolution and revolution

Abstract

Pediatric sedation continues to change in terms of the professionals who provide this care, those who produce original research on this topic, guidelines and literature concerning risk, medications employed, and methods for training for new providers. Some of the changes could be categorized as 'evolutionary' or gradual in nature and predictable - such as the changing role of anesthesiologists in the field of pediatric sedation and the use of the well-established dissociative sedative, ketamine. Other changes in pediatric sedation are more radical or 'revolutionary'. They include reconsideration of what is defined as an 'adverse event' during sedation, the use of propofol or dexmedetomidine, and the application of human patient simulation for training. This review will highlight the ongoing changes in the dynamic field of pediatric sedation by focusing on some of the important progress (both evolutionary and revolutionary) that has occurred across the varied specialties that provide this care.