Analgosedation with propofol and fentanyl in colonoscopy

Abstract

Introduction: Comfort during colonoscopy is an important condition if the patient is expected to accept repeated procedures. Therefore, good sedation that could combine analgesia with amnesia is needed.

Objective: To describe the usefulness of balanced analgosedation with propofol/fentanyl in outpatient colonoscopy.

Methods: A prospective, longitudinal, descriptive and observational study was carried out with patients who received outpatient colonoscopy at Dr. Gustavo Aldereguía Lima General University Hospital in the period between January 2017 and December 2018.

Results: 34.2 % of the patients were between 50 and 59 years old, while 62.9 % were women. 73.3 % of patients were classified as ASA II, according to their physical status. The mean values for heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure had a slight decrease after anesthesia was applied and remained constant for the rest of the evaluated times. The mean values of hemoglobin–oxygen saturation remained relatively constant at all the evaluated times and were slightly higher on the patient’s arrival to recovery. The quality of sedation was adequate in 86.2 % of the patients. The quality of analgesia and recovery was good in 88.4 % and 96.2 %, respectively. Complications occurred in 16.5 % of the patients.

Conclusions: Analgosedation with propofol and fentanyl proved to be a useful anesthetic alternative in patients undergoing outpatient colonoscopy, with high hemodynamic stability in the studied series.