This study was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of intravenous flunitrazepam administration with or without inhalation sedation using N2O-O2in dental treatment of handicapped patients.
Sixteen handicapped patients, aged 2 to 19 years, were treated under sedation of flunitrazepam with N₂O-O₂. A total of 20 dental treatments were performed on the 16 patients. Seventeen patients, aged 4 to 19 years, were treated under sedation using flunitrazepam without N₂O-O₂, there being a total of 25dental treatments performed on them.
The following results were obtained.
1) The dosage for patients treated under sedation using flunitrazepam with N₂O-O₂ was 0.029-0.051 mg/kg (mean 0.039 mg/kg) flunitrazepam. The concentration of N₂O was 50%. The dosage for patients treated under sedation using flunitrazepam without N₂O-O₂ was 0.021-0.081 mg/kg (mean 0.038mg/kg) flunitrazepam.
2) The evaluation of the sedative effect of flunitrazepam with N₂O-O₂ resulted in the following 3 types: markedly effective 70.0%, effective 25.0% and slightly effective 5.0%. The evaluation of the sedative effect of flunitrazepam without N2O-O2 resulted in the following 3 types: markedly effective 48.0%, effective 48.0% and ineffective 4.0%.
3) Flunitrazepam without N₂O-O₂ was found to lessen markedly the involuntary movement associated with cerebral palsy, and to be effective with respect to the anxiety of patients who had slight mental retardation. Flunitrazepam with N₂O-O₂ was found effective, not only for cerebral palsy and mental retardation, but also for autistic tendencies.