Swallowing ability and intra-oral water-retaining ability during moderate propofol sedation in healthy human volunteers: A prospective observational study

BACKGROUND The cough reflex or aspiration under monitored anaesthesia care might be associated with sedative-induced changes in swallowing and intra-oral water-retaining abilities. OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of moderate propofol sedation on swallowing and intra-oral water-retaining ability. DESIGN Prospective observational study. SETTING Single tertiary care centre during 2017. PARTICIPANTS A total of 13 healthy adult volunteers. INTERVENTION Volunteers in the supine position were asked to retain 10 ml of orally injected water for 5 min. After 5 minutes or when the water was spontaneously swallowed, the retention time and residual intra-oral water volume were measured. Subjects then voluntarily swallowed a further 10 ml of injected water and the residual water volume was measured. This whole process was repeated under sedation with propofol at effect-site concentrations of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 μg ml−1. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was the estimated volume swallowed (swallowing volume); the secondary outcome was water retention time. RESULTS Median water retention time decreased from 300 to 11 s (P 
Source: European Journal of Anaesthesiology - Category: Anesthesiology Tags: Anaesthesia Source Type: research