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Published on: July 11, 2025
Prospective evaluation of gastroenterologist-guided, nurse-administered standard sedation for spiral deep small bowel
J R Judah1, D Collins, J K Gaidos
1Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Florida College of Medicine, 1600 SW Archer Rd, Room HD 602, PO Box 100214, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA, judahja@medicine.ufl.edu.
Background:
Sedation of patients for deep small bowel enteroscopy presents unique challenges and is traditionally provided by anesthesiologists. No study has directly evaluated gastroenterologist-guided, nurse-administered sedation for deep enteroscopy. Further, no comparison exists between gastroenterologist-guided versus anesthesiologist-guided sedation during deep enteroscopy.
Aims:
To evaluate safety and efficacy of performing deep (spiral) enteroscopy using gastroenterologist-guided sedation and compare outcomes between patients receiving gastroenterologist-guided and anesthesiologist-guided sedation.
Methods:
This prospective case series contains 91 consecutive patients who underwent deep enteroscopy with spiral Endo-Ease Discovery SB overtube. Of the patients, 64 received gastroenterologist-guided and 27 received anesthesiologist-guided sedation.
Results:
In the 64 patients receiving gastroenterologist-guided sedation, successful completion occurred in 59 of 64 enteroscopies (92.2%). Mean insertion depth was 231.0+/-85.8 cm beyond the ligament of Treitz. Total procedure time was 39.9+/-15.7 min (diagnostic time 34.7+/-12.3 min; therapy time 5.2+/-8.9 min). Positive findings were noted in 32 cases (50.0%), with therapy performed in 27 cases (42.2%). Six minor complications occurred. Compared to the anesthesiologist-guided sedation group, there was no difference in patient characteristics except mean American Society of Anesthesiologists score (2.5+/-0.5 in gastroenterologist-guided group versus 2.7+/-0.6 in anesthesiologist-guided group; p=0.046) and presence of adhesions (ten in gastroenterologist-guided group and zero in anesthesiologist-guided group; p=0.030). Outcomes for both groups were not significantly different except for shorter times in the gastroenterologist-guided group (39.9+/-15.7 min versus 46.0+/-12.1 min; p=0.047) and more frequent findings in the anesthesiologist-guided group (50.0% vs. 74.1%; p=0.034).
Conclusions:
Deep enteroscopy using the spiral overtube can be successfully and safely accomplished with gastroenterologist-guided, nurse-administered standard sedation.
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