ABSTRACT
Anaesthetists continually assert that there is no such thing as a ‘quick general anaesthetic’, because a general anaesthetic for a short surgical procedure requires exactly the same safety considerations and preparation as that for a longer one. This simple maxim also applies to the use of sedation. Many minor surgical procedures can be performed under a combination of local anaesthesia and sedation, or sedation alone. On occasion, this may be under the control of an operator-sedationist. However, the same safety practices apply to these situations as to any other in which sedation is utilised.
