[Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) of the upper gastrointestinal tract - prospective multicenter study to evaluate...

Endoscopic ultrasonography is an important procedure in the diagnostic work-up of gastrointestinal and mediastinal masses. To evaluate the time and staff requirements for the examination, a prospective multicenter study was carried out.

27 centers were asked to document their endoscopic ultrasonographic procedures over a 4-month period, using a standardized protocol comprising several parameters: time and staff requirements (overall and related to organs), time spent on informing the patients, preparation, performance and monitoring of the examination and subsequent care of patient as well as of endoscopic equipment.

484 examinations from 11 centers were suitable for evaluation, 25 % of the patients were out-patients. Median examination time was 20 minutes (range: 5 - 60 min) without significant differences concerning the device but with greater differences concerning the different organs (pancreas 23.5 minutes, esophagus 15 minutes). Median time of subsequent care was 35 minutes in out-patients, 25 minutes in hospitalized patients, with a great variety between different centers. In 70 % of examinations one doctor and one nurse were involved. For sedation midazolam was used in 90 % of cases, pethidin for analgesia in 30 % of cases.

The obvious time and staff requirements for endoscopic ultrasonography are comparable to historical data for the performance of a colonoscopy. In out-patients the time required seems to be higher.