Deep Sedation
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 2, 2024.
What do I need to know about deep sedation?
Deep sedation is medicine given during procedures or treatments to keep you asleep and comfortable. It will also prevent you from remembering the procedure or treatment. You cannot be easily woken up during deep sedation, and you may need help to breathe. Deep sedation can be given as an IV injection, a shot, a pill, or through an inhaled solution.
Why is deep sedation given?
Deep sedation may be used to help your body heal after an injury or illness. It may be used to relax a person who is on a ventilator. It may also be used during painful procedures such as bandage changes, repair of a laceration, or drainage of an abscess. Deep sedation may be given to prevent you from moving during a test such as a lumbar puncture or bone biopsy. Deep sedation can be used for cardiac catheterization, craniotomy, or fracture repair.
How do I prepare for deep sedation?
Your healthcare provider will talk to you about how to prepare for deep sedation. He or she may tell you not to eat or drink anything for 8 hours before deep sedation. You may be able to drink clear liquids up until 2 hours before deep sedation. Tell healthcare providers if you have any allergies, heart problems, or breathing problems. Arrange for someone to drive you home and stay with you for 24 hours after deep sedation. You may feel sleepy and need help doing things at home. Another person may need to call 911 if you cannot be woken.
What will happen during deep sedation?
- Your healthcare provider will give you enough medicine to keep you asleep and comfortable. Your healthcare provider will monitor your blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. You will be on a heart monitor and a pulse oximeter. A heart monitor is a safety device that stays on continuously to record your heart's electrical activity. A pulse oximeter is a device that measures the amount of oxygen in your blood.
- You may get oxygen through a mask placed over your nose and mouth or through small tubes placed in your nostrils. If you cannot breathe well on your own during deep sedation, you may need an endotracheal tube. An endotracheal tube is a thin, plastic tube that is inserted through the nose or mouth and into the lungs. It is attached to a ventilator. A ventilator is a machine that gives you oxygen and breathes for you when you cannot breathe well on your own.
What will happen after deep sedation?
Healthcare providers will monitor you until you are awake. You may need extra oxygen if your blood oxygen level is lower than it should be. Ask your healthcare provider before you take off the mask or oxygen tubing. You may be able to go home when you are alert and can stand up. This may take 1 to 2 hours after you have received deep sedation. You may feel tired, weak, or unsteady on your feet after you get sedation. You may also have trouble concentrating or short-term memory loss. These symptoms should go away in 24 hours or less.
What are the risks of deep sedation?
- You may get a headache or nausea from the medicine. You may have problems with your short-term memory. Your skin may itch or your eyes may water. You may not get enough sedation, or it may wear off quickly. You may feel restless during the procedure or as you wake up.
- Too much medicine can cause you to be unconscious. Your healthcare provider may have trouble waking you, and you may need medicine to help you wake up. Your breathing may not be regular, or it may stop. You may need a ventilator to help you breathe. Your risk for problems with sedation is higher if you have heart or lung disease, a head injury, or drink alcohol.
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