Morning Report: 10/7/2014

Dr. Gomes presents today’s Morning Report!

 

PROCEDURAL SEDATION

 

Definition:

-technique of administering a sedative or dissociative agent along with analgesia to induce a state that allows patient to tolerate unpleasant procedures while maintaining adequate spontaneous cardiorespiratory function

 

Complications:

-oversedation, respiratory depression/arrest, hypoxia, hypotension, prolonged awakening, agitation, nausea/vomiting, tachycardia, bradycardia

 

Common errors:

-delayed recognition of respiratory depression and respiratory arrest

-inadequate monitoring

-inadequate resuscitation

 

3 Stages to procedural sedation:

  1. Initial pre-sedation evaluation
  2. Sedation during the procedure
  3. Post-procedural recovery

 

Pre-Sedation evaluation:

-History: allergies, adverse reactions to prior anesthesia/sedative agents, h/o intubation/difficult intubation, pulmonary disease, cardiac disease, hepatic/renal failure, etc.

-ABCs: Mallampati

-GI: last meal (aspiration risk…something to note but usually have no control of this in ER setting)

 

Sedation during procedure:

-Monitoring

  • 2 persons (at least)- someone to watch the patient throughout entire sedation/procedure process- chest rise, apnea, respiratory depression, emesis, hypersalivation, monitors. Someone to push medications and perform procedure
  • Pulse oximetry
    • Note- there is a lag between hypoventilation and a drop in O2 sats
  • Capnography
    • offers breath by breath measure of RR and CO2 exchange
    • Earliest indicator of airway or respiratory compromise
  • EKG monitor
  • Vital signs- at least q5 min
  • IV fluids

 

-Equipment

  • Airway/Intubation/resuscitation
    • Suction, BVM, ET tubes, ETCO2 detector, Miller/Mac, O2, back-up
    • Fluids
    • Drug reversal agents
  • IV
  • Supplemental O2? (some use some don’t)
    • Interferes with ability to use low pulse ox readings as an early warning device for hypoventilation as hyperoxygenated patients will desat only after prolonged apnea

 

Post procedure recovery:

-alert and oriented at patient’s baseline

-return to age appropriate baseline

-stable vitals

 

Medications:

-Ideal properties

  • Easily titratable
  • Fast onset
  • Short duration OR
  • Readily reversible

 

Drug Clinical Effects Adult Dose Time to onset Duration Comments
Midazolam Anxiolytic, motion control, sedative

No Analgesia

Start with 1mg and titrate up to max 5mg 2-3 min 45-60 min -flumazenil for reversal
Etomidate Sedation, motion control, anxiolytic

No Analgesia

0.1mg/kg. Can repeat for optimal sedation <1 min 5-15 min -no reversal agent
Propofol Sedation, motion control, anxiolysis

No Analgesia

1mg/kg (start low and go slow) <1 min 5-15 min -no reversal agent

-half dose when combined with ketamine

Fentanyl Analgesia 50 ug (repeat q3min for optimal pain control) 2-3 min 30-60 min -naloxone for reversal

Reduce dose if used in combination with midazolam

Ketamine Analgesia, dissociation, amnesia, motion control 1mg/kg 1 min 15-60 min -no reversal

-push slowly

-half dose when combined with propofol

 

 

Source: Roberts and Hedges, Clinical Procedure in Emergency Medicine, 5th ed, 2010

The views expressed on this blog are the author's own and do not reflect the views of their employer. Please read our full disclaimer here. Any references to clinical cases refer to patients treated at a virtual hospital, Janus General Hospital.
The following two tabs change content below.

Jay Khadpe MD

Editor in Chief of "The Original Kings of County" Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Assistant Residency Director SUNY Downstate / Kings County Hospital

Latest posts by Jay Khadpe MD (see all)