Comparison of virus aerosolization risks between procedural sedation and general anesthesia for bronchoscopy
| Procedural sedation | General anesthesia |
|---|---|
| Nebulized topicalization before the procedure | Intravenous administration (nebulized topicalization not used) |
| Potential for many liters of oxygen supplementation through a nasal cannula or face mask (potentially aerosolizing into open environment) | Ventilation through a semi-closed circuit |
| Nasopharyngeal (highest viral load), bronchoscopy | Bronchoscopy through either supraglottic airway or an endotracheal tube bypassing the nasopharynx |
| Cough during the procedure with open airway | Muscle relaxation is used, and contained in a contained airway and breathing circuit |
| Cough postoperatively with longer recovery period than general anesthesia | Cough postoperatively; however, shorter recovery period than procedural sedation (shorter-acting medications) |