Introduction
A short anaesthesia in general is a sedation for a short period of time, i.e. the elimination of consciousness, in order to perform surgical procedures less frequently and less frequently diagnostic medical measures. The length of a short anaesthesia depends on the amount administered, the preparation used and individual factors such as body weight, sex, height and whether the patient to be sedated is a smoker or non-smoker. In the past, many drugs have been introduced and used for short anaesthesia, but the drug Propofol has become widely accepted for short surgical procedures or short diagnostic measures.
Propofol is easy to control and is a sole narcotic. The drug does not eliminate pain, which is why it is essential to add an analgesic during surgical procedures. To induce Propofol anesthesia, 1-2 mg per kilogram body weight are injected into the patient via a venous access.
A pump is then used to administer a maintenance dose of 12 mgkg body weight per hour to the patient. Propofol is used for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures lasting between 10 minutes and 8 hours. The quantity and speed of the injection is calculated accordingly.
Compared to its drug counterparts, it is considered to be low-risk and with few side effects. Nevertheless, even short anaesthetics with Propofol have corresponding risks. Allergic reactions can occur.
Sometimes, although not as frequently as with other narcotics, the patient experiences nausea and vomiting after withdrawal. Dreams of a pleasant nature are often described, but nightmares under propofol anesthesia are less frequent. Propofol is potentially psychologically dependent. However, due to the difficulty of obtaining it (usually only through clinic staff), it is not one of the intoxicants of first choice.
Procedure of short anaesthesia with Propofol
Propofol is often used for planned short procedures that require the patient to be asleep and his muscles to be as relaxed as possible, but not necessarily to eliminate pain. For example, during a colonoscopy or gastroscopy. For this purpose, an indwelling cannula is inserted into the patient’s venous blood system, through which Propofol can be administered as required without further puncture through the skin.
In addition, the patient is usually provided with a breathing mask with additional oxygen. In high-risk patients, intubation of the patient may even be necessary. In this case, however, additional painkillers are administered in order to cause the patient as little stress as possible. This topic might also be of interest to you: Mask anaesthesia
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