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Phenobarbital as a Sedation Strategy to Reduce Opioid and Benzodiazepine Burden in Neonatal Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Phenobarbital as a Sedation Strategy to Reduce Opioid and Benzodiazepine Burden in Neonatal Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Vilmaris Quinones Cardona, Emma Byrne, Michelle Mejia, Swosti Joshi and Ogechukwu Menkiti
American journal of perinatology
16 Feb 2024
PMID: 38365212

Abstract

The study aims to describe our experience with the implementation of phenobarbital as a primary sedation strategy during neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).  Retrospective chart review in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit between 2011 and 2021 comparing neonatal ECMO patients before and after the implementation of a sedation-analgesia (SA) protocol using scheduled phenobarbital as the primary sedative. Groups were compared for neonatal and ECMO characteristics, cumulative SA doses, and in-hospital outcomes. Comparison between groups was performed using Mann-Whitney test on continuous variables and chi-square on nominal variables.  Forty-two patients were included, 23 preprotocol and 19 postprotocol. Birth, pre-ECMO, and ECMO clinical characteristics were similar between groups except for a lower birth weight in the postprotocol group (  = 0.024). After standardization of phenobarbital SA protocol, there was a statistically significant reduction in median total morphine dose (31.38-17.65 mg/kg,  = 0.006) and median total midazolam dose (36.21-6.36 mg/kg,  < 0.001). There was also a reduction in median total days on morphine by 7.5 days (  = 0.026) and midazolam by 6.6 days (  = 0.003). There were no differences in ECMO duration or in-hospital outcomes between groups.  In this cohort, short-term use of phenobarbital as primary sedation strategy during neonatal ECMO was associated with reduced opioid and midazolam burden. Such reduction, however, did not affect in-hospital outcomes. · Prolonged sedation on ECMO puts infants at risk for iatrogenic withdrawal.. · Phenobarbital is a feasible sedation strategy for ECMO.. · Phenobarbital sedation strategy may mitigate risk by decreasing opioid and midazolam burden..

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Web of Science research areas
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Pediatrics
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