title: Conscious sedation for the performance of gynecologic examination of individuals with intellectual disability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gynecologic examination of some individuals with intellectual disability can be especially problematic. Many of these women reside in a community setting and a widely applicable method for performing these examinations is desirable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intellectually disabled women were referred by their primary care providers for gynecologic examinations under sedation in the emergency room facility of a community hospital. Intravenous conscious sedation was administered under the direction of an emergency room physician.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen adult women underwent 22 examinations over a four-year period. Papanicolau smears, screening for sexually transmitted disease and cervical and endometrial biopsies were obtained without complications. Hospital charges were relatively low and lengths of stay were short.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In selected individuals with intellectual disability, intravenous conscious sedation in a community hospital emergency room setting provides a safe, effective and relatively inexpensive means for performing gynecologic examinations.
authors.affiliation: Sharon Hospital, Sharon, New York, USA. jjaffe@snet.net
authors.forename: Joshua S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jaffe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods