Background Patients undergoing bronchoscopy in spontaneous breathing are prone to hypoxaemia and hypercapnia. Sedation, airway obstruction, and lung diseases impair respiration and gas exchange. The restitution of normal respiration takes place in the recovery room. Nonetheless, there is no evidence on the necessary observation time. We systematically reviewed current guidelines on bronchoscopy regarding sedation, monitoring and recovery. Methods This review was registered at the PROSPERO database (CRD42020197476). MEDLINE and awmf.org were double-searched for official guidelines, recommendation or consensus statements on bronchoscopy from 2010 to 2020. The PICO-process focussed on adults (Patients), bronchoscopy with maintained spontaneous breathing (Interventions), and recommendations regarding the intra- and postprocedural monitoring and sedation (O). The guideline quality was graded. A catalogue of 54 questions was answered. Strength of recommendation and evidence levels were recorded for each recommendation. Results Six guidelines on general bronchoscopy and three expert statements on special bronchoscopic procedures were identified. Four guidelines were evidence-based. Most guidelines recommend sedation to improve the patient’s tolerance. Midazolam combined with an opioid is preferred. The standard monitoring consists of non-invasive blood pressure, and pulse oximetry, furthermore electrocardiogram in cardiac patients. Only one guideline discusses hypercapnia and capnometry, but without consensus. Two guidelines discuss a recovery time of two hours, but a recommendation was not given because of lack of evidence. Conclusion Evidence for most issues is low to moderate. Lung-diseased patients are not represented by current guidelines. Capnometry and recovery time lack evidence. More primary research in these fields is needed so that future guidelines may address these issues, too.

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Flexible bronchoscopy (FB) in analgosedation causes alveolar hypoventilation and hypercapnia, the more so if patients suffer from COPD. Nonetheless, neither is capnometry part of standard monitoring nor is there evidence on how long patients should be monitored after sedation. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> We investigated the impact of COPD on hypercapnia during FB with endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) in sedation and how the periprocedural monitoring should be adapted. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Two cohorts of consecutive patients – with advanced and without COPD – with the indication for FB with EBUS-guided transbronchial needle aspiration in analgosedation received continuous transcutaneous capnometry (p_tcCO₂) before, during, and for 60 min after the sedation with midazolam and alfentanil. <b><i>Main Results:</i></b> Forty-six patients with advanced COPD and 44 without COPD were included. The mean examination time was 26 ± 9 min. Patients with advanced COPD had a higher peak p_tcCO₂ (53.7 ± 7.1 vs. 46.8 ± 4.8 mm Hg, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) and mean p_tcCO₂ (49.5 ± 6.8 vs. 44.0 ± 4.4 mm Hg, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). Thirty-six percent of all patients reached the maximum hypercapnia after FB in the recovery room (8 ± 11 min). Patients with COPD needed more time to recover to normocapnia (22 ± 24 vs. 7 ± 11 min, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). They needed a nasopharyngeal tube more often (28 vs. 11%, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). All patients recovered from hypercapnia within 60 min after FB. No intermittent ventilation manoeuvres were needed. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> A relevant proportion of patients reached their peak-pCO₂ after the end of intervention. We recommend using capnometry at least for patients with known COPD. Flexible EBUS in analgosedation can be safely performed in patients with advanced COPD. For patients with advanced COPD, a postprocedural observation time of 60 min was sufficient.

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