Swiss recommendations for non-anaesthesiologist administered procedural sedation and analgesia in adults

Abstract

Various specialists use sedation and analgesia for their interventions without the presence of an anaesthesiologist. Therefore, the need for professional recommendations is obvious. The Swiss recommendations were first published in 2016. In contrast to other guidelines, especially those published by the European Society of Anaesthesiology, the Swiss recommendations were developed in close cooperation with other relevant societies that practise procedural sedation and analgesia in adults. The Swiss recommendations were approved by the members of the Swiss Society of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, the Swiss Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the Swiss Society of Pulmonology, the Swiss Society of Cardiology and the Swiss Society of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. In this way, maximum acceptance and practicability were achieved. Unlike in other recommendations, for example the American Society of Anesthesiology guidelines, the most critical points such as how to deal with deep sedation and who is allowed to perform have been extensively discussed in the Swiss working group and are also addressed in the Swiss recommendations.

The key points of the Swiss recommendations are multidisciplinary acceptance, advanced preoperative evaluation and selection of patients, clear safety recommendations and minimal requirements regarding monitoring, documentation and staff.