A Prospective, Blinded Study Examining Sedation Levels During Outpatient Colonoscopies

Propofol for sedation during outpatient endoscopy has become a popular technique in place of midazolam and opioid sedation. It has been associated with improved patient satisfaction and a faster recovery with less nausea and vomiting. However, there are a number of potential adverse effects associated with propofol. It has no analgesic effects; therefore, when used for moderate sedation procedures it frequently has to provide deeper levels of sedation to allow a painful procedure to be performed.

Some patients are sedated to the level of general anesthesia and may develop respiratory depression or airway obstruction requiring immediate airway support.

We examined the level of sedation required for patients to comfortably undergo routine colonoscopy using propofol and what monitoring system would best predict the patients who might need an airway intervention.