The effect of propofol on emergence delirium in children after sevoflurane anaesthesia

After anaesthesia children frquently become irritable and distressed. This is termed Emergence Delirium (ED). Sometimes this can lead to intravenous lines and surgical drains becoming dislodged. The child rarely remember this period and it rarely has any longterm consequences. A number of studies have suggested that a commonly used anaesthetic drug called propofol can be used to reduce the chance of this happening. We plan to administer a dose of propofol at the end of an anaesthetic to see whether it will reduce the rate of ED.