Conscious sedation of the pediatric patient for suturing

No single drug or combination of drugs was used routinely in pediatric emergency departments to sedate children for suturing. A meperidine-promethazine-chlorpromazine "cocktail" was chosen most frequently. Many physicians were dissatisfied with the method they selected, however, leading some to experiment with newer medications such as fentanyl. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for the elective use of conscious sedation, specifically, those regarding monitoring during sedation and discharge post sedation, were not adhered to uniformly. Further study of conscious sedation in children is needed.