Importance of cardiocirculatory and pulmonary monitoring in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
Harloff, M.; Weber, J.; Kohler, B.; Astheimer, W.; Wagner, M.; Riemann, J.F.
Zeitschrift für Gastroenterologie 29(8): 387-391
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0044-2771 PMID: 1950052 Document Number: 376874
Among the side effects of endoscopy, cardiopulmonary complications are particularly important. This risk appears to be greatest in endoscopic retrograde cholangio- and pancreaticography (ERCP) because of the patient's prone position, iv sedatives and analgetics and the relatively long duration of the examination. We studied 75 patients (50 patients without and 25 patients with premedication) who were to undergo ERCP and looked at these data: age, weight, premedication, accompanying diseases, reason for this examination, blood count, oxygen saturation SaO2 (pulse oximeter), pulse, blood pressure and length of the examination. Overall, the oxygen saturation decreased considerably and two patients only had 69%. Pulse rate increased and one patient had 205 beats per minute, one 172. We looked for a correlation between SaO2, pulse rate and blood pressure and studied the patients' usual medication, the length of the ERCP, the indication for ERCP, age and hemoglobin. There was no correlation. But all patients suffering from a compromised cardiopulmonary status had received a rather heavy premedication and the ERCP was longer than in other patients. Since it is not clear which patients may develop cardiopulmonary complications, it is advisable to monitor all patients by pulse oximeter in order to avoid these complications. This seems also advisable because the rooms where the examination takes place are darkened and the patient is in a prone position so he cannot be seen clearly.