General Anesthesia With Remimazolam During Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery for Atrial Septal Defect: A Pediatric Case Report

Abstract

Remimazolam is a new ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine sedative, the use of which has not been reported for pediatric cardiac surgery. This case report describes the use of remimazolam in a 6-year-old girl who underwent minimally invasive cardiac surgery with right-sided thoracotomy for an atrial septal defect. Under electroencephalographic monitoring, remimazolam (2–4 mg kg–1 h–1) and remifentanil (0.05 μg kg–1 min–1) were administered with an intercostal nerve block during the procedure. The patient awoke and was extubated promptly after surgery, without any serious adverse events, including intraoperative awareness. Remimazolam may be a viable option for general anesthesia during pediatric cardiac surgery.