Chesterfield, Mo.-based Mercy has launched sedation-free transnasal endoscopy at its Mercy Kids GI program in St. Louis, offering pediatric patients ages 5 and older upper digestive tract evaluations without anesthesia.
According to a June 23 news release, the procedure uses a narrow, flexible scope inserted through the nose rather than the mouth, allowing physicians to examine the throat, stomach and part of the small intestine while the patient remains awake. Without sedation, patients avoid IVs, needles and anesthesia-related risks.
“Sedation-free transnasal endoscopy gives patients a safe, efficient option for evaluating upper GI concerns while getting them back to their daily activities much more quickly,” said Ryan Pitman, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist with Mercy Kids GI who has authored several research studies on the procedure.
Dr. Pitman performed the first pediatric unsedated transnasal endoscopy at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis in 2021 and trained additional physicians before joining Mercy, according to the release.
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