Sedative and Analgesic Effects of Intravenous Midazolam and Ketamine Combination in Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy of Childhood Cancer

Various drugs, including ketamine and midazolam, are used for sedation in children.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intravenous midazolam and ketamine combination in bone marrow aspiration and biopsy in children with cancer.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 children aged six months to 17 years candidates for bone marrow aspiration or biopsy. Sampling was easy, accessible, and sequential. Children were injected with 0.05 mg/kg midazolam and 1 mg/kg ketamine for sedation and analgesia. Then, sedation rate, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, laryngospasm, and decreased oxygen saturation were assessed. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18 software.

The mean age of children was 6.8 ± 4.3 years. The mean degree of sedation based on the modified Ramsey score was 5.2 ± 0.74. Nausea and vomiting were observed in nine (9%) children. Six (6%) children had arterial saturation of less than 90%. Twelve (12%) children showed restlessness when waking up. There were no cases of laryngeal spasms.

The present study showed that the intravenous midazolam and ketamine combination provides suitable sedation and analgesia to children, with low and negligible side effects.