Preoperative assessment for obstructive sleep apnoea and the prediction of postoperative respiratory obstruction and hypoxaemia

Abstract

Patients scheduled for elective surgery requiring general anaesthesia and hospital admission were assessed for risk of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) using history, body mass index and upper airway examination to determine any relation between OSA risk and the rate of respiratory events after surgery. Anaesthesia and postoperative analgesia were at the discretion of the treating anaesthetist, who was made aware of any suspicion of OSA. Respiratory monitoring for apnoeas (central or obstructive), hypopnoeas and oxygen desaturations was continuous for a 12-hour period on the first postoperative night. We used automated analysis and visual scanning of respiratory recordings, but sleep stages we..