There Are Minor Surgeries but There Are No Minor Anesthetics

𝗔𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩

Often it's about what 𝗪𝗔𝗦𝗡'𝗧 done ... than what 𝗪𝗔𝗦


There has been a massive uptick in adverse outcomes

In patients undergoing outpatient GI procedures

And the stories all sound the same

1. MAC anesthesia
2. Propofol administered
3. Bradycardia and hypotension
4. Random Interventions followed by ACLS
5. Hypoxic ischemic stroke and no neuro recovery
6. Family elects to do comfort care and patient passes

𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘


❓What happened:

Hypoxic stroke in elderly patient mid colonoscopy


❌What was done intra-procedure:

• Atropine for bradycardia
• Ephedrine for hypotension
• The best ACLS in the whole world


✅What should have been done intra-procedure:

• Stop the procedure
• Jaw thrust to relieve obstruction
• Resume procedure once ventilating properly


➡️What would have happened:

Elderly patient would have lived to spend more time with their 13 grandkids


⭐Bonus

Often times, capnography was not utilized

... A clear breach in the monitoring standard of care



𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 "𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚" 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙘 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 ... 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣'𝙩 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚?