Perception of Pain in the Catheter Angiography Laboratory Among Children with Congenital Heart Disease.
Serdar Kula, Daniiar Amatov, Akif Kavgacı, Fatma Rana Olguntürk, Fatma Sedef Tunaoğlu, Ayşe Deniz Oğuz
Turk Kardiyoloji Dernegi arsivi : Turk Kardiyoloji Derneginin yayin organidir June 1, 2025 DOI: 10.5543/tkda.2025.69934 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPain during pediatric cardiac catheterization was assessed in 24 children with congenital heart disease using skin conductance activity. Measurements were taken before the procedure with maternal presence, during local anesthesia, during femoral vascular intervention, and after the procedure with maternal presence. Significant differences in pain levels occurred at the first three time points. Ketamine dosage was associated with pain levels after the procedure when the mother was present, while midazolam dosage showed no such correlation. Despite local anesthetic and sedation, discomfort persisted, indicating a need for better pain management strategies.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | Pediatric patients with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac catheterization |
| Interventions | cardiac catheterization local anesthesia |
| Keywords | Pediatric cardiology Pain management Anesthesia Cardiac catheterization Patient monitoring |
| Key finding | Significant pain differences occurred at multiple time points during cardiac catheterization, and ketamine dosage was associated with pain levels after the procedure with maternal presence. |
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the level of pain caused by routine procedures during cardiac catheterization and explore ways to enhance patient comfort during the procedure based on the findings. The study involved 24 pediatric patients with congenital heart disease who underwent cardiac catheterization at our center. Pain perception was assessed using skin conductance activity, a non-invasive and sensitive method, at four time points: before the procedure with maternal presence (T0), during local anesthesia following general anesthesia (T1), during femoral vascular intervention (T2), and after the procedure with maternal presence (T3). Significant differences in pain levels were observed at T0, T1, and T2. While no significant correlation was found between midazolam dosage and pain perception, a statistically significant association was identified between ketamine dosage and pain levels at T3, when the mother was present after the cardiac catheterization. Effective sedation planning requires a clear understanding of the degree of pain children experience during procedures. This study showed that, despite the use of local anesthetic and procedural sedation, discomfort may still occur. These findings highlight the need for improved pain management strategies to enhance patient comfort during cardiac catheterization.