Austrian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (ÖGGH) - Guidelines on sedation and monitoring during gastrointestinal endoscopy

Abstract

The increasing invasiveness of endoscopic examinations and interventions means that adequate sedation and appropriate patient monitoring are required. Overall, endoscopic interventions in the gastrointestinal tract are low risk, provided that they are performed in sufficient numbers by experienced personnel [1]. The risk of the examination or intervention depends primarily on the invasiveness and technical complexity of the procedure, but also on the patient's individual risk profile and the specific side-effect profile of the sedatives or anesthetics used. The overall rate of serious complications in gastroenterological examinations and interventions is between 1 in 1000 and 1 in 7500 [2].