The benefits of an endoscopy are many. Endoscopies have evolved from being a purely diagnostic tool to a therapeutic subspecialty. There is also a great improvement in the way sedation is administered during endoscopic procedures. However, great care has to be taken ensure that one adheres to the safety guidelines. It must be ensured that the services of a specialist are provided to patients while administering drugs to sedate them. This would help avoid any morbidity and sometimes a probable mortality.
So what exactly is Endoscopy sedation? Sedation is a state reached with the help of medication wherein the patient goes off to sleep. Sedation is often required during an endoscopic procedure as it can help you to rest. During this procedure the doctor instills some air into your intestines or stomach which may make you feel slightly uncomfortable. Sedation, to a great extent, helps relieve this feeling of uneasiness. Depending on the kind of medication being administered, sedation is known by different terms.
For those going in for endoscopy sedation, doctors normally opt to moderately sedate them. This is also known as “conscious sedation” and is the most common combination that is preferred. There are a smaller percentage of patients who ask for or may require deep sedation. This, however, works out more expensive for the patient as it requires that there be anesthesia personnel monitoring the patient. There are some endoscopic procedures which do not require that the patient be sedated.
Sedation is generally safe for most people. There are some rare occurrences of complications when one is sedated. In fact, the chances of something going wrong are one to every ten thousand. The most common problem that might occur is that the oxygen level might temporarily decrease. This occurs because the patient does not take deep breaths. This can be rectified by ensuring that the patient receives extra oxygen through a nasal tube. If any complications occur due to sedation, medication can be used to reverse the effect of the endoscopy sedation.
The doctors who administer the sedation medicine are well trained. The doctor makes sure that he/she checks your blood pressure, pulse rate, and the oxygen levels both while the endoscopic procedure is going on and while you are in the recovery area. By monitoring your important functions, the doctor and the staff can make sure that you are doing well and they are also able to identify any problems.
It is important that your doctor is aware of your medical history and knows if you have any drug allergies before you go in for the endoscopy. This will help him/her decide what dosage of sedation and what type of sedation medication is right for you.