Using an IV catheter during surgery can make things easier for the medical team—it's easy to give fluids and drugs. But many patients don't like them. And kids really don't like them. Researchers at Wayne State University in Detroit looked at whether the benefits outweigh the displeasure for children having minor ear surgery.

What the researchers wanted to know: For children having ear tubes placed, how does having IV access (or no IV access) affect postoperative vomiting, postoperative pain, the length of the hospital stay, and parental satisfaction?

What they did: One hundred children ages 2 to 12 were enrolled in the study before having tubes placed in their ears at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit. Half of the children, randomly chosen, were given IV catheters; the other half were not.

What they found: Children who had IVs spent longer in the operating room, longer in recovery, and longer in the hospital altogether. Children with IVs were in more pain, and parents were happier if their children didn't have IVs. Having an IV didn't help with postoperative vomiting—children with and without IVs were about equally likely to throw up after the surgery. One of the reasons for putting in an IV is to reduce postoperative vomiting by allowing fast rehydration.

What the study means to you: For this minor surgery, there's no reason to give kids IV access, and they're better off without it.

Caveats: The study excluded children younger than 2 and children with severe systemic disease. Also, children with airway problems were left out, since they might need an IV already in place in case of an emergency.

Find out more: Ear tubes are usually for kids with serious ear infections; here's information on ear infections from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

Read the article: Haupert, M.S., Pascual, C., Mohan, A., Bartecka-Skrzypek, B., and M.M. Zestos. "Parental Satisfaction With Anesthesia Without Intravenous Access for Myringotomy." Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. September 2004, Vol. 130, pp. 1025–1028.

Abstract online: http://archotol.ama-assn.org