Italian data support upper gastrointestinal endoscopy without sedation

EDITOR,--J E Charlton claims that closer monitoring, as well as routine oxygen, during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy would reduce morbidity related to this procedure. 1 Charlton wonders whether it is safe to dismiss cardiographic abnormalities and low oxygen desaturation, since in a recent survey...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ 1995-08, Vol.311 (7002), p.453-453
Main Authors: Peri, Vittorio, Gatto, Giovanni, Amus, Mariano, Traina, Mario
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anesthesia
Endoscopy
Mortality
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:EDITOR,--J E Charlton claims that closer monitoring, as well as routine oxygen, during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy would reduce morbidity related to this procedure. 1 Charlton wonders whether it is safe to dismiss cardiographic abnormalities and low oxygen desaturation, since in a recent survey nearly all the complications were respiratory or cardiovascular. 2 In the same survey 85% of upper gastrointestinal endoscopies were performed under sedation, a figure similar to that detected in a survey in 1990, in which sedation was shown to be the main cause of adverse outcomes. 3 We believe that performing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy without sedation would greatly improve its safety and cost effectiveness without any appreciable reduction of efficiency.
ISSN:0959-8138
1468-5833
DOI:10.1136/bmj.311.7002.453