Statements & Guidelines

«Back

Conscious Sedation Clinical Guideline
SAMJ Vol 87 No 4 April 1996

• Click Here to view SAMJ Vol 87 No 4 April 1996 (part 2) pdf or right click here and click save as to download the pdf.

• The Anaesthetics Society Conscious Sedation guidelines are available in vol 8 no 4 2002

THE SAGES CONSCIOUS SEDATION GUIDELINES

• SAGES recognizes the complexity of the South African Health care system, with particular reference to the practice of gastro-intestinal endoscopy.
  
  
• Routine or elective OGD (oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy) and colonoscopy are regarded as OPD (out-patient), Day clinic/Office procedures, requiring conscious sedation.
  
  
• All the peer reviewed, accredited and published norms of safe and responsible practice are recognized.
  
  
• The final responsibility remains that of the Endoscopist performing the procedure.
  
  
• More complex procedures or certain types of Interventional Endoscopy may require special facilities/equipment/sedation or anaesthesia.
  
  
• SAGES recognizes this to be the prerogative and responsibility of the Endoscopist, who will decide on the required protocols.
  
  
• In the setting of Private Practice this may involve the “Authorization Process”.
  
  
• SAGES acknowledges that the Endoscopist’s first duty is that of patient and procedural safety; the Anaesthetic Society Physical Status Classification may be helpful in this regard.

SAGES is not prescriptive or proscriptive regarding guidelines for sedation/ analgaesia/ anaesthesia and will support SAGES members fully through its academic structures.
James Garisch

SAGES Guidelines Committee
12 March 2004