Background: To retrospectively assess the efficacy and safety of sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia for the treatment of ankyloglossia on uncooperative pediatric outpatients. Methods: Pediatric patients with ankyloglossia (Degree 3 to Degree 5, coarse or thick) were enrolled in this retrospective analysis. The treatment of ankyloglossia was conducted with sevoflurane induction (8%) and maintenance (2%-3%) continuously with nasal cannula. Heart rate, respiratory rate, electrocardiogram, blood pressure, and peripheral blood oxygen saturation were monitored continuously during operations. Onset time, recovery time, adverse complications were recorded until Aldrete score was ≥ 9. Patients were followed up 24 h, 1 and 2 weeks after operation. Results: One hundred and thirty-seven children completed surgeries with ideal anesthesia status. The operation duration were 10-20 minutes (15.15 ± 2.04), and the children woke up in 10-30 minutes (18.95 ± 3.91). The average intra-operative blood oxygen saturation were lower than preoperative ones (p = .005). Adverse effects were 13.1%, including 3 (2.2%) respiratory depression (SpO2 < 90%), 11 (8.0%) dysphoria and crying during recovery, 2 (1.5%) transient fever symptom. Conclusions: Sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia in the treatment of ankyloglossia resulted in rapid onset and recovery, with few adverse reactions and significant clinical efficacy, and was suited to uncooperative pediatric outpatients.
Keywords: ankyloglossia; blood oxygen saturation; pediatric outpatients; sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia.