INTRODUCTIONSedation or anaesthesia is recommended for all patients undergoing bronchoscopy unless absolute contraindications exist. However, the widely used combination of propofol and opiates for moderate sedation (MS) in bronchoscopy results in a high incidence of hypoxaemia and a relatively high cough score during the procedure. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of target-controlled infusion (TCI) of propofol and remifentanil, together with the use of high frequency jet ventilation (HFJV), to achieve general anesthesia (GA) in diagnostic fibre-optic bronchoscopy.

METHODSA total of 92 consecutive patients scheduled for flexible bronchoscopy were randomly assigned to receive either MS using TCI-delivered propofol and remifentanil (n = 46), or GA using TCI-delivered propofol and remifentanil with HFJV (n = 46). The following were compared between the MS and GA groups: incidence of hypoxaemia, cough score, haemodynamic parameters, partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood, duration of bronchoscopy and patient satisfaction score.

RESULTSThe average and minimum oxygen saturation values in the MS group were lower than those in the GA group. The MS group showed a higher incidence of hypoxaemia. There was no significant difference in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide between the two groups. Cough score and duration of the bronchoscopy were markedly lower in the GA group, and patient satisfaction score was higher in the GA group.

CONCLUSIONGA, achieved via TCI-delivered propofol and remifentanil with HFJV, provides better conditions for diagnostic bronchoscopy - it decreases the occurrence of hypoxaemia, shortens the duration of bronchoscopy and increases patient satisfaction.