Sleep Apnea Patient Killed by Colonoscopy

[roster]

Family says CRNA should have been supervised while administering anesthesia to patient with sleep apnea.

The family of a man with sleep apnea who died during a routine colonoscopy is suing the nurse anesthetist who cared for the patient.

Article: http://www.outpatientsurgery.net/news/2010/05/12

I guess this is a relief:

The biopsy results of the polyps found during the procedure were not malignant

[Slinky]

Propofol is WONDERFUL, quick acting and FAST recovery once administration is stopped - BUT - unlike the usual Versed, Valium, etc. THERE IS NO REVERSAL AGENT for it. MOST states require administration ONLY by an anesthesiologist - but not all - and most states require a "full service" facility, i.e. ER capabilities available. Many CRNAs in states that allow propofol administsration by CRNAs the CRNAs are NOT happy w/being required to administer it. There's always quite a bit of discussion about it in the various nursing forums. I feel as sorry for the CRNA as I do the family of this man.

[Patrick A]

Makes me think twice now about getting a Colonoscopy.

[Slinky]

Don't let this article stop you. The risk is a LOT higher that you develop and die of colon cancer than that you die from propofol. AND, there is no need for propofol. You can request Versed or Valium sedation instead.

[roster]

Makes me think twice now about getting a Colonoscopy.

Patrick, you need to have a third thought:

Metastatic disease in patients with primary or recurrent colorectal cancer

[elena88]

"his neck looked normal."

OH MY GOD, he thinks he can tell by THAT???

This didnt need to happen, Im so sorry for the man and his family, and HE TOLD them he had sleep apnea and had a cpap, not to mention
the difficult history of other sugeries..


I had a colonoscopy last year in october, before I got diagnosed with severe sleep apnea.. I have never ever had any sort of sedation in my life until that!
It was my very first time in a hospital for a precedure, I have never had an operation.

They gave me versid, and the iv got plugged so I had it with no drugs..

Here is the good news.. they only want to see you IN TEN years if all goes well, and if it doesnt, wow, glad to know sooner than later!

[Rebecca R]

Roooooooster! Get those jawbreakers out of your mouth right now! Didn't your mom tell you not to put that much candy in your mouth at once??? I bet she told you a thousand times. If you don't get that candy out of your mouth you won't need a cpap or a colonoscopy, 'cause you are going to choke to death.

And BTW your face will stay like that.


r

[taberge]

I had a colonoscopy this year and the doc used fentanyl via IV to knock me out.

[pdean44]

Im supposed to schedule one but keep putting it off.

[Slinky]

Fentanyl is NOT a sedative, it is an analgesic. i.e. Versed is a sedative, demeral is an analgesic.

[Jay K]

One thing scary about all this is most people who have sleep apnea don't know they have it and therefore cannot alert anesthesiologists to their problem . I wonder how many times this has led to crises, even deaths, in operating rooms.

[SleepingUgly]

This should provide everyone who is looking for an excuse not to schedule their colonoscopy the excuse they were looking for!

[TheTwinsMom1]

I had one a few years ago and they gave me valium and versed and I still managed to wake up freaked out cause thanks to the versed I had no idea where I was LOL

[oscar98]

This should provide everyone who is looking for an excuse not to schedule their colonoscopy the excuse they were looking for!

Sure won't stop me. I have a family history of colon cancer. My grandfather is dying from colon cancer because he was too scared to go get the routine test. Had he done so it would have been caught early enough to save him. I have ulcerative colitis in addition to the family history which puts me at high risk.

However, I will say that I was not aware there were clinics outside of hospitals that do a colonoscopy. Given the risk with sedation I'm thankful mine are done at a hospital with an emergency room and anesthesia staff. I've had two so far and with both was given versed and demerol.

Doesn't propofol put you all the way under? Shouldn't the airway be protected in a person given propofol? This is what they used for my last surgery.

[SleepingUgly]

However, I will say that I was not aware there were clinics outside of hospitals that do a colonoscopy.

Yes, there are endoscopy centers in doctors' offices that are not within hospitals.