Pain relief for children having dental extractions under GA
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pain relief for children having dental extractions under general anaesthesia
IRAS ID
235098
Contact name
Cynthia MacCormac
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
One of the most common reasons for a child in the United Kingdom to receive a general anaesthetic (GA) is for the removal of decayed or traumatised teeth. In 2016, in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT) area of Northern Ireland, 1268 GA’s were administered to children for this purpose.
A recent audit of existing practice in the SHSCT showed that many children having this treatment experienced high levels of pain post-operatively, particularly when large numbers of teeth were removed. This led the team involved in provision of this treatment to re-examine the pain relief measures currently in place and, with reference to research and professional guidelines, propose some changes to existing practice.
The aim of this research project is thus to assess the effectiveness of changes in practice intended to improve and optimise pain relief for children having dental extractions under general anaesthesia.
REC name
HSC REC B
REC reference
18/NI/0005
Date of REC Opinion
6 Feb 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion