Sedation/analgesia techniques for nonoperating room anesthesia: new drugs and devices

Purpose of review The purpose of this article is to review new drugs and devices for nonoperating room anesthesia (NORA). Recent findings Remimazolam is an ultra-short-acting, water-soluble intravenous benzodiazepine with a fast onset and offset that has been approved recently for use in procedural sedation. Phase III trials have established the effectiveness of remimazolam sedation compared with placebo and midazolam in gastrointestinal endoscopy and bronchoscopy. More research is required investigating remimazolam in real-world NORA settings, including comparisons with propofol sedation. Oliceridine is a μ-agonist with selectivity for the G protein pathway and low potency for β-arrestin recruitment. As such it may be associated with less nausea, vomiting and respiratory depression than traditional opioids used. Although no studies have been published about oliceridine use in NORA to date, results from surgical studies indicate a potential place in nonoperating room practice. Research continues into alternative methods of drug delivery, such as patient-controlled sedation but no new devices are described. Summary Further studies are required before these new drugs and devices are embraced in NORA.