Sedation for advanced procedures in the bronchoscopy suite: proceduralist or anesthesiologist?

This article focuses on the issue of sedation provided either by proceduralists or anesthesiologists for advanced bronchoscopy procedures. The relative merits of both approaches are presented. Current evidence from the literature and guideline recommendations relevant to this topic are reviewed.

In general, patient and proceduralist satisfaction as well as patient safety are increased when intravenous sedation is provided for advanced bronchoscopic procedures. However, guidelines by various societies remain vague on defining the appropriate level of care required when providing sedation for these procedures. In addition, targeted depth of sedation varies considerably among practitioners. While in some settings, nonanesthesiologist-administered propofol sedation has been proven safe; nevertheless, its use is controversial, especially in the bronchoscopy suite.

The role of the anesthesiologist in sedation for advanced bronchoscopy remains undefined. When deep sedation for prolonged interventional procedures is needed or when dealing with patients who have multiple comorbidities, an anesthesiologist should be involved.