Preoperative Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Outcomes in PACU.

PURPOSE: Practice guidelines from the perianesthesia community suggest that preoperative identification of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and standardized longer observation in postanesthesia care unit (PACU) promotes safety after general anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to determine if longer monitoring of patients with OSA in the PACU improves patient outcomes after general anesthesia.

DESIGN: Evidence-based best practices literature review.

METHODS: PACU patient charts were retrospectively analyzed for the presence of OSA diagnosis and screening scores. Information was compared with the postoperative oxygen saturation in PACU and nursing respiratory assessment documentation.

FINDINGS: Most patients (96.5%) did not experience oxygen desaturation regardless of OSA diagnosis or STOP (snore, tired, observed, pressure) score. There was no evidence extracted from this sample that suggested patients with OSA experienced a higher incidence of respiratory symptoms while in the PACU.

CONCLUSIONS: This study did not affirm that patients with OSA experienced a higher incidence of oxygen desaturation or respiratory symptoms despite receiving additional monitoring in PACU.