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Some Important Notes Regarding Endoscopic Anesthesia

By Ann Cole


The alimentary canal lining can be affected by disease that requires special investigation for diagnosis to be made. This investigation is usually in the formal of endoscopy in which case a tube containing camera system is taken down the gut. Endoscopic anesthesia is crucial to ensure the patient is not traumatized by the procedure which can be very uncomfortable.

Before anaesthesia is administered, detailed history, physical examination and investigations will have to be conducted. History taking requires that a good rapport is created between the patient and the doctor. The doctor will need to any underlying conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. They also need to reveal what drugs they could be on as some drugs are known to interact negatively with anaesthetic drugs.

During endoscopic anaesthesia, one is connected to machines to monitor their vital signs. Blood pressure, pulse rate and respiratory rate are the basic vital signs to be monitored. An electrocardiogram is also set up to monitor the working of the heart during endoscopy.

Adequate oxygen should be administered to the client in order for the endoscopy procedure to go on smoothly. This is usually via a mask placed strategically at the mouth area. A pulse oximeter is fixed at the finger tips to measure oxygen saturation levels and assess adequacy of oxygen delivery. In the event that the patient signs become abnormal, measures should be put in place to restore normal function.

A good anaesthetic drug should also ensure muscle relaxation. Relaxation of muscles ensures that the operation is done without experiencing difficulties related to muscle spasm. Since there is no single drug with all these properties, anaesthetic drugs are usually used in combination. Examples include benzodiazepines, muscle relaxants, analgesics among others.

Once the procedure is complete, the effects of anaesthesia have to be reversed using specific drugs that work against the given agents. These reversal agents are usually referred to as antagonists. Benzodiazepines are typically antagonized by a drug called flumazenil. Opioids are reversed using a special agent called naloxone. The good thing about reversal is that it is not as traumatizing as induction as it brings one back to normal awareness.

The recovery room, also known as post anaesthesia care unit(PACU), is the next place to take the client after the procedure. This is a room just adjacent to the main procedure. It is equipped with monitors and healthcare personnel to observe and reassure the patient. Monitoring vital signs is also a priority at this stage. Oxygen is given through a face mask to ensure the individual does not experience difficulty breathing due to anxiety and panic, for instance.

In summary, endoscopic anaesthesia is key when performing procedures in the alimentary canal, especially the uppermost and lowermost region of the canal. Based on widespread the illness is, a patient can either be under general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia. Apart from being an investigative procedure, endoscopy has the added advantage of being therapeutic for given conditions.




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