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Effects of Sedation Performed by an Anesthesiologist on Pediatric Endoscopy: a Single-Center Retrospective Study in
Sung Min Yang1, Dae Yong Yi1,2, Geun Joo Choi3
1Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Pediatric endoscopy sedation by anesthesiologists in Korea leads to reduced complications and sufficient drug doses, though procedure times may increase. Anesthesiologist involvement is recommended for safe pediatric endoscopic procedures.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Anesthesiology
- Medical Safety
Background:
- Pediatric endoscopy requires adequate sedation to prevent complications.
- Sedation practices in Korean pediatric endoscopy lack comprehensive study.
- Investigating anesthesiologist-led sedation effectiveness is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of sedation for pediatric endoscopy when administered by anesthesiologists.
- To compare sedation outcomes based on the sedation provider in pediatric patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical records for pediatric patients (<18 years) undergoing endoscopy.
- Analysis of sedation instructors, drugs, doses, complications, and recovery times.
- Comparison of sedation by pediatric endoscopists versus anesthesiologists.
Main Results:
- Anesthesiologists sedated most patients (86.6% for EGD, 100% for colonoscopy).
- Anesthesiologist-led procedures were longer but used sufficient drug doses with fewer complications.
- Propofol dosage increased for colonoscopies; cognitive recovery was linked to propofol in EGD.
Conclusions:
- Anesthesiologist-administered sedation in pediatric endoscopy ensures adequate drug use and reduces complications.
- While procedures may take longer, anesthesiologist involvement is beneficial for pediatric endoscopy safety in Korea.
- Anesthesiologists should be considered for sedation in pediatric endoscopy settings.
Background:
Endoscopy is used for diagnosing and treating various digestive diseases in children as well as in adults. However, in pediatric patients, it is recommended that sufficient sedation should be ensured before conducting endoscopy, since insufficient sedation may cause serious complications. However, in Korea, no studies have yet described the types of sedation drugs, effects of sedation, and efficiency of endoscopy with respect to the sedation instructor. Thus, we investigated the effectiveness of sedative procedures performed by anesthesiologists.
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients aged < 18 years who underwent endoscopy during March 2014-July 2019. Data of sedation instructors, sedation drugs and their doses, complications, and the recovery after sedation were evaluated.
Results:
Of 257 patients, 217 underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and 40 underwent colonoscopies. Before EGD, 29 patients (13.4%) underwent sedation by the pediatric endoscopist and 188 (86.6%) were sedated by the anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist performed the sedation for all 40 patients who underwent colonoscopy. Endoscopic examinations performed by the anesthesiologist were relatively more time-consuming (401.0 ± 135.1 seconds vs. 274.9 ± 106.1 seconds, P < 0.001). We observed that in patients who underwent EGD, there was a difference in the dose of midazolam administered (P = 0.000). When comparing EGD and colonoscopy in patients undergoing sedation by the anesthesiologist, there were no significant differences in the doses of midazolam and ketamine, but the dose of propofol increased for colonoscopy (2.50 ± 0.95 mg/kg vs. 4.71 ± 1.66 mg/kg, P = 0.000). The cognitive recovery time according to drug dose was associated with propofol only in EGD with a shorter endoscopy time. The longer cognitive recovery time in colonoscopy and the discharge time of EGD and colonoscopies were not associated with propofol use.
Conclusion:
When sedation is performed by an anesthesiologist, various drugs are used with sufficient doses and complications are reduced, but the discharge time does not change. For performing pediatric endoscopy in Korea, anesthesiologists should be considered for inducing anesthesia.
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