Laryngeal Mask in Upper Gastrointestinal Procedures

Plain-language summary

Diagnostic and operative procedures of upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract are very common in all patients. Some procedures are difficult to tolerate because of long duration, prone position or significant stimulation of the upper airways. An example are endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic pancreatic ultrasound. The procedures are generally performed with deep sedation. Many pharmacologic regimens are available and described in literature. The investigator's institute adopts propofol target controlled infusion (TCI), which usually guarantees unconsciousness and unresponsiveness of patients. The main adverse event is dose-related respiratory depression. Pre-existing reasons for hypoventilation can exacerbate this event, especially in the elderly and the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-patients. Laryngeal mask (LMA) is a useful tool to apply a pressure support ventilation. One specific type of LMA allows to separate the gastric and respiratory tract and, allows the anesthesiologist to support patient's ventilation as (and only if) necessary.

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