Brief Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Endosc. Jun 16, 2012; 4(6): 260-265
Published online Jun 16, 2012. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v4.i6.260
Sedation practices for routine diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Nigeria
Sylvester Chuks Nwokediuko, Olive Obienu
Sylvester Chuks Nwokediuko, Olive Obienu, Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku/Ozalla, 01129 Enugu, Nigeria
Author contributions: Both authors participated actively in the conception, design, data acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data; they also worked together to draft the manuscript and revise it for intellectual content.
Correspondence to: Dr. Sylvester Chuks Nwokediuko, Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku/Ozalla, 01129 Enugu, Nigeria. sylvester.nwokediuko@unn.edu.ng
Telephone: +23-4-8033218181 Fax: +23-4-42553210
Received: September 1, 2011
Revised: November 14, 2011
Accepted: May 27, 2012
Published online: June 16, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To determine the sedation practices and preferences of Nigerian endoscopists for routine diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

METHODS: A structured questionnaire containing questions related to sedation practices and safety procedures was administered to Nigerian gastrointestinal endoscopists at the 2011 annual conference of the Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Nigeria which was held at Ibadan, June 23-35, 2011.

RESULTS: Of 35 endoscopists who responded, 17 (48.6%) used sedation for less than 25% of procedures, while 14 (40.0%) used sedation for more than 75% of upper gastrointestinal endoscopies. The majority of respondents (22/35 or 62.9%) had less than 5 years experience in gastrointestinal endoscopy. The sedative of choice was benzodiazepine alone in the majority of respondents (85.7%). Opioid use (alone or in combination with benzodiazepines) was reported by only 5 respondents (14.3%). None of the respondents had had any experience with propofol. Non-anaesthesiologist-directed sedation was practiced by 91.4% of endoscopists. Monitoring of oxygen saturation during sedation was practiced by only 57.1% of respondents. Over half of the respondents (18/35 or 51.4%) never used supplemental oxygen for diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

CONCLUSION: Sedation for routine diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Nigeria is characterized by lack of guidelines, and differs markedly from that in developed countries.

Keywords: Gastrointestinal endoscopy; Nigeria; Sedation