General Anesthesia in a Juvenile With Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Accompanied by Long-term Use of Methylphenidate (Concerta®)

Received 2 July 2008; received in revised form 18 December 2008; accepted 22 December 2008.

Methylphenidate, a central stimulant, is used in the treatment of individuals who have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a notorious worldwide disorder with a prevalence rate of 8 – 12% in schoolchildren, which is characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Currently, there have been few reports in the anesthetic literature examining ADHD patients who have had long-term use of methylphenidate, especially the extended-release formulation. Here, we report a case of a 14-year-old boy with ADHD treated chronically with the long-acting form of methylphenidate (Concerta®), and who was scheduled to receive orthopedic surgery under general anesthesia. No significant problems or fluctuations in hemodynamics were encountered during anesthesia induction, maintenance, and emergence. The patient made an uncomplicated recovery and was discharged 3 days later without incident.

KEY WORDS: attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity , anesthesia, general , methylphenidate

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Article Outline

• Abstract

• References

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References

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a Department of Anesthesiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

b Department of Orthopedics, National Yang-Ming University Hospital, Yilan, Taiwan, R.O.C.

c School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Corresponding author. Department of Anesthesiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan, R.O.C.

PII: S1875-4597(09)60057-6

doi:10.1016/S1875-4597(09)60057-6

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