Propofol

Anesthesiologists and Certified Nurse Anesthetists administer Propofol (Diprivan), a common sedative-hypnotic medication, for the induction and maintenance of anesthesia. Propofol is rapid acting and produces little if any post-op side effects. Propofol can also be used to lightly sedate patients undergoing mechanical ventilation and other minimally-invasive medical procedures such as prior to or during an endoscopy or discogram. Pain Management physicians will occasionally make this type of sedation available to patients who present with anxiety or where sudden movements during needle placement would be potentially dangerous in patients who respond violently to even small levels of stimuli.