Perception of Pain in the Catheter Angiography Laboratory among Children with Congenital Heart Disease

OBJECTIVE
In this study, we aimed to determine the level of pain generated by routine procedures during cardiac catheterization and investigate the possibility of improving patient comfort during the procedure based on the obtained information.

METHODS
The study involved 24 pediatric patients with congenital heart disease who underwent cardiac catheterization at our center. Pain perception was assessed using skin conductance activity, a non-invasive and sensitive method, at four time points: pre-procedure with maternal presence (T0), during local anesthesia following general anesthesia (T1), during femoral vascular intervention (T2), and post-procedure with maternal presence (T3).

RESULTS
The findings of the study revealed significant differences in pain levels at T0, T1, and T2. While no significant correlation was found between midazolam dosage and pain perception, a statistically significant association was noted between ketamine dosage and pain levels at T3, with maternal presence after the cardiac catheterization.

CONCLUSION
Effective sedation planning requires an understanding of the degree of pain that children experience. This study demonstrated that, despite receiving local anesthetic and procedural sedation, patients may still experience discomfort, highlighting the need for further improvements in pain management strategies to enhance comfort during cardiac catheterization.