Anesthetic management for small bowel enteroscopy in a World Gastroenterology Organization Endoscopy Training Center

Table 1 Patients’ characteristics, anesthetic time and technique, and indications for procedure

Variables	Results (n = 154)
Age (yr) (mean, SD; min-max)	57.6 (17.2); 17–92
Gender (male/female; n %)	75/79 (48.7/51.3)
Weight (kg) (mean, SD)	56.3 (11.0); 30-96
ASA physical status (I, II, III, IV; n %)	15/82/56/1 (9.7/53.2/36.4/0.6)
Anesthetic time (min) (mean, SD; min-max)	94.0 (50.5); 30-290
Anesthetic technique
GA with endotracheal tube	78 (50.6)
Topical pharyngeal anesthesia and IVS	38 (24.7)
IVS	38 (24.7)
Indications (n %)
Gastrointestinal bleeding	92 (59.7)
Chronic diarrhea	22 (14.3)
Protein losing enteropathy	4 (2.6)
Others	36 (23.4)

IVS: Intravenous sedation; GA: General anesthesia; ASA: American Society of Anesthesiologists.

Table 2 Endoscopy characteristics and pre-anesthetic problems

	n (%)
Type of enteroscopy
Single balloon	105 (68.2)
Push	47 (30.5)
Spiral	2 (1.3)
Route of intubation
Oral (antegrade)	125 (81.2)
Anal (retrograde)	29 (18.8)
Pre-anesthetic problems
Hematologic disease	114 (74.0)
Hypertension	54 (35.1)
Heart disease	48 (31.2)
Electrolyte imbalance	46 (29.9)
Renal disease	23 (14.9)
Diabetes mellitus	18 (11.7)
Others	43 (27.9)

Table 3 Anesthetic agents used (n, %)

	n (%)
Sedative and analgesic agents
Propofol	139 (90.3)
Thiopental	15 (9.7)
Midazolam	88 (57.1)
Fentanyl	150 (97.4)
Muscle relaxation
Succinyl choline	76 (49.4)
Atracurium	53 (34.4)
Cis-atracurium	21 (13.6)
Rocuronium	5 (3.2)
Vecuronium	4 (2.6)
Inhalation agents
Isoflurane	43 (27.9)
Sevoflurane	34 (22.1)
Desflurane	5 (3.2)

Table 4 Anesthesia-related complications categorized by age (n, %)

Adverse events	<60 yr (n = 75)	≥60 yr (n = 79)	P value
Overall	29 (38.7)	47 (59.5)	0.0101
Cardiovascular	25 (33.3)	43 (54.4)	0.0081
Hypotension	21 (28.0)	41 (51.9)	0.0031
Bradycardia	3 (4.0)	1 (1.3)	0.286
Arrhythmia	0	1 (1.3)	0.328
Cardiac arrest	1 (1.3)	0	0.303
Respiratory	4 (5.3)	4 (5.1)	0.94
Hypoxia (SpO2 < 90%)	0	1 (1.3)	0.328
Upper airway obstruction	4 (5.3)	3 (3.8)	0.647

¹Considered to be statistically significant.