Background: This study compares the effect of dexmedetomidine versus Ketamine
for the prevention of emergence agitation in children undergoing
general anaesthesia. Method: 75 Children are randomly allocated into three
groups. Group C: Were assigned to receive normal saline. Group K: Were assigned
to receive Ketamine 0.25 mg/kg. Group D: assigned to receive 0.25 ug
/kg of dexmedetomidine, before the end of surgery. Results: There was no
statistically significant difference in demographic data and intraoperative parameters
between the three groups. But as regards to time to discharge, there
was a significant difference between group C, group K and group D (group C
= 39.96 ± 2.84, group K = 37.28 ± 3.80, group D = 35.08 ± 3.36 and P value =
0.0002). FLACC scale was low after extubation, before leaving the operating
room and on arrival to PACU (small FLACC scale in group K, D than group
C). PAED scoreless in Group K and Group D than Group C (postoperative, at
10 minutes, 20 min, 30 min). Conclusion: Ketamine and dexmedetomidine
reduced the incidence and severity of emergence delirium effectively when
compared to normal saline, and the effects of dexmedetomidine being much
superior to Ketamine.