Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology
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Scand. J. Gastroenterol. · Mar 2004
Complicated endoscopic pediatric procedures using deep sedation and general anesthesia are safe in the endoscopy suite.
Complicated upper and lower endoscopic procedures of the gastrointestinal tract are performed in children for a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic reasons. Unlike adult patients, who receive conscious sedation, children usually require deep sedation (DS) or general anesthesia (GA). The aim of this study is to assess the safety parameters of complicated endoscopic procedures under DS or GA performed in children in the endoscopy suite rather than in the operating theatre. ⋯ The use of DS and GA for complicated endoscopies in a moderately high-risk pediatric population was found to be safe. The very low complication rate found in this study suggests that complicated pediatric patients can be managed successfully outside the operating theatre, provided that all the safety criteria for ambulatory DS or anesthesia are present.