Deep Sedation Yields Better Detection

At the May/June 2009 Annual Digestive Diseases Week meeting in Chicago, researchers announced study results that may have an impact on how colonoscopies are performed in the United States. Using information from the Clinical Outcomes Research Initiative (CORI), which is a database that receives results from colonoscopies performed at 61 different health care centers across the country, Dr. Katherine Hoda and her colleagues found that deep sedation allows for better colonoscopy results.

Many colonoscopies are performed with moderate conscious sedation to keep the patient comfortable during the procedure. In most cases, people who receive moderate conscious sedation will not remember the colonoscopy at all, but they may appear more alert during the procedure than patients who receive deep sedation. Deep sedation "knocks out" the person to a larger degree. However, even in deep sedation, the level of sedation is much less than what happens during surgery, when patients are put under anesthesia.

Dr. Hoda noted that with deep sedation, larger and suspected cancerous growths are more easily detected than with moderate conscious sedation. The reasons why deep sedation allow for a more effective colonoscopy aren't clear, but the research team suspects that patients with less sedation may be more uncomfortable during the procedure, leading the physician to complete the exam more quickly than if the person had received deep sedation.

The Bottom Line

Regardless of why deeper sedation allows for a more thorough colonoscopy, the most important point is that by using this sedation technique, doctors may be more likely to catch the larger growths in the colon that are cancerous or may be more likely to lead to cancer if left untreated. If you are scheduled for a colonoscopy, ask your health care provider what type of sedation will be used during the procedure. If it's available, you may want to request deep sedation. By working with your doctor and determining the best procedure for your colonoscopy, including what type of sedation you need and whether your colon will be inflated with water or air, you'll be sure to get the best results possible.