A 5-year-old child requires sedation for a CT scan expected to last 3 minutes. The drug of choice should provide deep sedation with rapid recovery and minimal respiratory depression when given as a single bolus. Which agent fits best?
- A Chloral hydrate 50 mg/kg orally
- B Midazolam 0.1 mg/kg IV
- C Propofol 1 mg/kg IV bolus ✓
- D Pentobarbital 4 mg/kg IV
Correct answer: C. Propofol 1 mg/kg IV bolus
Explanation
Propofol in small boluses provides predictable brief deep sedation with very rapid offset, ideal for a 3-minute scan, though it requires airway-skilled supervision. Midazolan gives unreliable depth and prolonged recovery in children. Chloral hydrate has unpredictable onset, delayed recovery, and no reversal agent, and pentobarbital has a long half-life causing delayed awakening. Indian exam convention favours titrated propofol for short imaging sedation.
Reference: Smith's Anesthesia for Infants and Children, 10th ed.
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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.