Sedation Methods in Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage: Procedure Quality and Recovery

Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) is a therapeutic procedure commonly performed in patients with biliary obstruction when surgical intervention or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is not feasible. These patients frequently present with advanced age, malignancy, cholangitis, and significant comorbidities, making them particularly vulnerable to sedation-related complications.

Procedural sedation and analgesia are commonly used during interventional radiology procedures to ensure patient comfort, immobility, and procedural success. However, inadequate sedation may result in patient movement, increased anxiety, procedural failure, and complications, whereas excessive sedation may lead to hemodynamic instability, respiratory depression, and delayed recovery, especially in frail patients.

In this study, two commonly used sedation regimens-propofol combined with remifentanil and propofol combined with ketamine-will be compared. Both regimens are routinely used in non-operating room anesthesia settings in our institution. Patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to one of the two groups. Standard monitoring will be applied, including non-invasive blood pressure, electrocardiography, and pulse oximetry, with supplemental oxygen administered via nasal cannula.

Sedation depth will be targeted to a Ramsay Sedation Score of 3-4 and assessed every five minutes during the procedure. Hemodynamic parameters, oxygen saturation, pain scores, recovery time, and adverse events such as hypotension, bradycardia, hypoxia, nausea, vomiting, and airway interventions will be recorded. Recovery will be evaluated using the Modified Aldrete Score at two-minute intervals until adequate recovery is achieved.

The primary objective of the study is to compare recovery times between the two sedation regimens. Secondary objectives include comparison of pain intensity, patient and operator satisfaction, total drug consumption, procedural tolerance, and incidence of adverse events. The findings of this study aim to contribute to safer and more effective sedation strategies for PTBD procedures in high-risk patient populations.

Inclusion criteria

• Scheduled for elective percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and/or biliary stenting
• ASA physical status II-IV
• Fasting time of at least 6 hours prior to the procedure
• Ability to provide written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Inability to provide informed consent or to complete study assessments (e.g., Ramsay Sedation Scale, FRAIL scale, Numeric Rating Scale)
• Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease
• Clinical diagnosis of demantia
• Known allergy or hypersensitivity to propofol, remifentanil, ketamine, ondansetron, or deksketoprofen
• Grade 3-4 aortic, mitral, or tricuspid valve disease
• Advanced or decompensated heart failure (ejection fraction <25%)
• Emergency procedures
• Refusal to participate in the study