Retraction of endorsement: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, European Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Nurses and Associates, and the European Society of Anaesthesiology Guideline: Non-anesthesiologist administration of propofol for GI endoscopy

J. M. Dumonceau, A. Riphaus, J. R. Aparicio et al. European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, European Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Nurses and Associates, and the European Society of Anaesthesiology Guideline: Non-anesthesiologist administration of propofol for GI endoscopy

In the December 2010 issue of the European Journal of Anaesthesiology, members of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE), the European Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Nurses and Associates (ESGENA), and the European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA) published a guideline on non-anaesthesiologist administration of propofol for gastrointestinal endoscopy [1]. This report was published simultaneously in the journal Endoscopy [2]. Following evaluation of the scientific evidence by the ESA guidelines committee, the Board of Directors of the ESA decided unanimously to endorse the report. However, following their publication, a majority of the national societies of the ESA felt unable to support this guideline [3]. Subsequently, an invited Commentary issued by official representatives of the ESA and published in the European Journal of Anaesthesiology tried to put the guidelines and their implications into context [4]. Despite these efforts, the majority of the active members present and voting at the ESA General Assembly, held in Amsterdam on June 15th, 2011, approved the motion to retract the endorsement. Consequently, the ESA hereby retracts its endorsement of this guideline.

Competing interests: None

^* President, on behalf of the Board of the European Society of Anaesthesiology

• References

• 1 Dumonceau JM, Riphaus A, Aparicio JR et al. NAAP Task Force Members. European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, European Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Nurses and Associates, and the European Society of Anaesthesiology. Guideline: Non-anesthesiologist administration of propofol for GI endoscopy. Eur J Anaesthesiol 2010; 27: 1016-1030
• 2 Dumonceau JM, Riphaus A, Aparicio JR et al. NAAP Task Force Members. European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, European Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Nurses and Associates, and the European Society of Anaesthesiology. Guideline: Non-anesthesiologist administration of propofol for GI endoscopy. Endoscopy 2010; 42: 960-974
• 3 Perel A. Non-anaesthesiologists should not be allowed to administer propofol for procedural sedation: a Consensus Statement of 21 European National Societies of Anaesthesia. Eur J Anaesthesiol 2011; 28: 580-584
• 4 Werner C, Smith A, Van Aken H. Guidelines on non-anaesthesiologist administration of propofol for gastrointestinal endoscopy: a double-edged sword. Eur J Anaesthesiol 2011; 28: 553-555