WHICH PATIENT CATEGORIES CAN BE ADMITTED FOR TREATMENT USING CONSCIOUS SEDATION OR GENERAL ANESTHESIA IN A HOSPITAL SETTING
Dentoalveolar surgery and conventional dentistry are usually performed using local analgesia. However, there may be patients where the treatment cannot be carried out this way, and conscious sedation or general anesthesia may therefore be needed. According to American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) patients are classified into five classes. Patients with severe systemic disease combined with functional limitations (ASA group III) or conditions with constant threat to life (ASA group IV) have a significant risk of serious anesthesiologic complications as a result of conscious sedation or general anesthesia. Emergency preparedness, additional anesthesia equipment and anesthesiologic expertise are therefore required to handle these complications. Conscious sedation or general anesthesia for patients in ASA group III-IV should therefore not be performed in outpatient facilities and necessitates admission for treatment in a hospital setting. The objective of the present paper is to describe the categories of patients with indication of the use of conscious sedation or general anaesthesia and therefore appropriately admitted for treatment in a hospital setting.
