Capnographic monitoring to detect early changes in breathing during routine colonoscopy does not capture more episodes of hypoxemia in moderately sedated healthy adults, the first randomized controlled trial evaluating the technology suggests.

“I believe this study provides initial evidence that some patient populations, especially healthy adults who are American Society of Anesthesiologists [ASA] physical classification I or II, can safely undergo these procedures without capnographic monitoring, at least when looking at hypoxemia as an outcome,” Paresh Mehta, MD, told Medscape Medical News.