Procedures suitable for sedation.
It’s increasingly common practice to use sedation alongside local, topical or regional anaesthesia — both inside and outside the hospital setting. This page sets out, in more depth than our homepage summary, the full range of procedures our sedationists commonly support, and the criteria we use to judge whether a case is right for sedation at your practice.
Suitability at a glance
- If the procedure doesn’t require profound analgesia, muscular paralysis or unconsciousness, it’s likely to be suitable for sedation. Where any of these are needed, general anaesthesia remains the right choice.
- The patient needs to be able to cooperate and follow verbal commands throughout, which is what allows the treating clinician to work precisely.
- The procedure itself is carried out under local, topical or regional anaesthesia, with sedation as a supplement rather than a replacement for pain control.
- The patient can be safely discharged after an adequately monitored recovery period. Where overnight observation is likely to be needed, sedation can still be suitable, provided the escort or chaperone stays with the patient overnight.
- The patient is aged 16 or over. Anyone younger is referred to a dedicated paediatric sedation facility.
The full range of procedures we support
Grouped below by the anaesthetic technique each procedure is typically paired with. If you’re unsure whether a specific case is suitable, our clinical team is always happy to advise before you refer.
Dental procedures
Extractions, implants, oral surgery, root canal treatment and complex restorative work.
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Dental procedures
Extractions, implants, oral surgery, root canal treatment and complex restorative work.
- Dental implants
- Zygomatic implant placement
- All-on-4 implants
- Teeth in a Day
- Oral surgery, including all types of extractions
- Bone grafting
- Restorative dental surgery
- Periodontal surgery
- Endodontics (root canal)
- Prosthodontics
- Oral hygiene
- SARPE (Surgically Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion) — not performed under sedation in a primary care setting; preferably carried out in a tertiary setting.
Sedation with or without topical anaesthesia
Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that don’t require an anaesthetic block.
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Sedation with or without topical anaesthesia
Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that don’t require an anaesthetic block.
- Upper gastrointestinal flexible endoscopy
- Lower intestinal endoscopy
- Flexible bronchoscopy
- Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy
- Trans-vaginal ovum retrieval and other IVF procedures
- Dermatology procedures, e.g. removal of molluscum contagiosum, photodynamic therapy
- Dermatological laser therapy
Sedation with local anaesthetic infiltration or blocks
The largest category — minor surgical, cosmetic, ophthalmic and diagnostic procedures.
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Sedation with local anaesthetic infiltration or blocks
The largest category — minor surgical, cosmetic, ophthalmic and diagnostic procedures.
- Angiography, pacemaker insertion, vascular access catheters
- Oral surgical procedures
- Cataract and other ocular surgery
- Excision of body surface masses and lesions
- Sinus surgery
- Reconstructive surgery on the nasal passages
- Arthroscopy, carpal tunnel repair, minor orthopaedic procedures
- Facelifts, necklifts, rhinoplasties and other plastic surgery of the face, neck, ears and eyes
- Breast augmentations, mastopexies and other cosmetic surgical procedures to the body
- Liposuction
- Vasectomy and orchiopexy
- Procedural investigations: bone marrow biopsies, lumbar punctures, discography
- Emergency department procedures: suturing of wounds, reduction of closed fractures, dislocations
- Biopsies of the prostate, breasts and other organs
Sedation with regional anaesthesia
Procedures performed alongside a regional anaesthetic technique.
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Sedation with regional anaesthesia
Procedures performed alongside a regional anaesthetic technique.
- Cystoscopy, transurethral resection of tumours of the prostate
- Arthroscopy and peripheral orthopaedic procedures
- Dilatation and curettage, vaginal hysterectomy and repairs, perineal surgery
- Herniorrhaphy, examination under anaesthesia, haemorrhoidectomy
How we tailor the technique
Which sedation technique we use depends on the setting and the nature of the procedure.
Conscious (moderate) sedation
Our standard approach for dental treatment, and the level your patient remains at throughout most appointments: relaxed, anxiety-free and comfortable, while still able to react to and follow verbal commands — which is what allows delicate or precise work to be carried out safely. We typically combine more than one sedative agent to achieve an effective, safe and well-balanced result for the procedure in hand.
Procedural sedation
Used for medical and surgical cases. A safe alternative to general anaesthesia, tailored to the nature of the surgery, with research showing it’s a cost-effective option outside the hospital setting with fewer of the unpleasant after-effects of a general anaesthetic. One of our audits found over 98% of patients referred for medical and surgical procedures chose sedation over a general anaesthetic — many despite having had one before, a strong sign of how well it’s tolerated.
Ready to refer a patient? See how to arrange a sedation → Or read our guidance on preparing your patient →