Flumazenil reversal of conscious sedation for minor oral surgery

Abstract

In order to find out whether resedation occurred following antagonism with flumazenil of sedation for minor oral surgery, in a double-blind randomised cross-over study thirty healthy Hong Kong Chinese patients undergoing bilateral third molar surgery at two visits were sedated with midazolam. Following surgery they received either flumazenil or placebo at one visit and the alternative at the other visit. Recovery was monitored by observation and objective tests. Following recovery they were monitored for resedation for a total period of two hours from the injection of the reversal agent. Resedation, sufficient to prevent a patient from being discharged to be accompanied home with an escort, did not occur provided the patient responded to verbal command following sedation.