Endoscopists Can Manage Propofol Safely and at Less Cost

Despite considerable controversy over the use of Diprivan® (propofol) for endoscopies without an anesthesiologist present, there were few serious problems in almost 650,000 procedures where trained registered nurses administered the sedation under the direction of the doctor performing the exam.

Only 11 patients needed a tube inserted in their throats to help them breathe, and there were 4 deaths, all of them during upper endoscopies in seriously ill patients.  There were no permanent neurological injuries.

Costs for using an anesthesiologist or nurse-anesthetist for all of the studied procedures would have reached nearly $185 million. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on October 29th, 2009
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: Diprivan, endoscopist-directed propofol, propofol

C3 Testifies on Computer-Assisted Sedation for Colonoscopy

Can a computerized system that monitors patient responsiveness and oxygen levels provide safe sedation using propofol during colonoscopy without a trained anesthetist present?

While not making a recommendation, C3 brought both its positive impressions and its concerns to consideration of a computer-assisted personalized sedation system  for endoscopy procedures to the Food and Drug Administration’s Anesthesiology and Respiratory Therapy Devices Panel (ARTDP) on May 28. Continue reading…

Posted by Kate Murphy on May 29th, 2009
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News, Research & Treatment News | No Comments »
Tags: computer-assisted sedation, propofol, Sedasys