Propofol Versus Dexmedetomidine for Sedation of Cancer Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography: Randomized Single Blinded Controlled Study

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreaticobiliary pathologies, and its use has increased in recent years. The procedure lasts from 30 to 60 position. Patients usually cannot tolerate the procedure because of pain, uncomfortable position, fear, and nausea without adequate sedation; therefore, ERCP is generally performed under moderate to deep sedation or even GA. ERCP under general anesthesia has several limitations. The procedure is often prolonged due to extra time required for patient preparation, induction of anesthesia, tracheal intubation, and recovery. In addition, the cost per procedure is higher. Deep sedation, on the other hand, is an alternative that is used by specific centers under anesthesiologist supervision instead of general anesthesia. Deep sedation has the advantage of offering the extra time required for general anesthesia and better procedure conditions in relation to conscious sedation.

Propofol is a popular drug that is frequently used in day surgery because of its early onset activity, short duration of action, and the fact that the patient regains normal mental functions only minutes after intravenous application. However, an increased dose of propofol may cause undesirable side effects such as hypoxia which is a common occurrence during upper GI endoscopy under sedation with propofol prolonged hypoxia is the most common cause of cardiac arrhythmia and coronary ischemia .Also, propofol lacks adequate analgesic effects to inhibit visceral traction, pain other side effects of propofol include hypotension and apnea.

In recent years, dexmedetomidine has been used as an alternative to Propofol in conscious sedation applications. Because it provides sedation and analgesia but does not cause respiratory depression, dexmedetomidine is considered a suitable drug for operations that are performed under local anesthesia.

According to authors best knowledge, there are no enough studies comparing both drugs in patients undergoing ERCP

Aim of the work The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of propofol and dexmedetomidine during ERCP regarding hemodynamic, respiratory, sedative and cognitive functions.