Predictors of Swallowing Dysfunction During Deep Sedation with Propofol

Deep sedation is becoming increasingly popular in a variety of clinical settings to facilitate medical and surgical procedures. Sedatives have the potential to affect swallowing function and protective airway reflexes. During deep sedation, patients are not intubated yet have lower levels of awareness than with moderate procedural sedation and may require some assistance with ventilation. Little is known about the degree of swallowing dysfunction during propofol deep sedation or risk factors for aspiration when this occurs.

To assess this, investigators enrolled 80 adult patients undergoing elective upper endoscopy with propofol deep sedation at a single center in Italy. Three target-controlled infusion doses of propofol were administered se…