Short Duration Large Dose Dexmedetomidine in a Pediatric Patient During Procedural Sedation

In Brief We describe an infusion of dexmedetomidine at 1.0 μg · kg−1 · min−1 for 10 min (total dose, 144 μg) sedation in a 3-yr-old child weighing 14 kg. The large dose of dexmedetomidine produced a hemodynamically stable patient who was deeply sedated for approximately 4 h after discontinuing the infusion. IMPLICATIONS: Adult dosing strategies for dexmedetomidine often produce inadequate cooperation in the pediatric patient. This case demonstrates that dexmedetomidine, at doses larger than those used in adults, may be effective in pediatric patients. More studies are needed to determine optimal dosing for this drug in the pediatric patient and to investigate the efficacy of non-IV administration of this drug.