Premium
Postoperative obstructive sleep apnoea
Author(s) -
REEDER M. K.,
GOLDMAN M. D.,
LOH L.,
MUIR A. D.,
CASEY K. R.,
GITLIN D. A.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1991.tb09599.x
Subject(s) - medicine , anesthesia , airway obstruction , blood pressure , continuous positive airway pressure , oxygen saturation , airway , sleep (system call) , hemodynamics , pulse oximetry , surgery , obstructive sleep apnea , oxygen , chemistry , organic chemistry , computer science , operating system
Summary A 74‐year‐old man presenting for aortic reconstructive surgery showed severe, previously undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea during overnight oximetry monitoring before operation. Postoperatively, in the first 4 hours following extubation, he suffered 238 episodes of respiratory obstruction. These events were associated with frequent arousals, large fluctuations in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Administration of nasal continuous positive airways pressure abolished the obstructions and allowed an uninterrupted night's sleep, with a significantly reduced blood pressure. Subsequent dips in oxygen saturation as a result of respiratory obstruction recurred on the fifth postoperative night. We conclude that pre‐operative overnight oximetry may be useful in identifying those patients at risk of postoperative upper airway obstruction. Use of nasal continuous positive airway pressure may prevent the occurrence of early postoperative obstruction and the associated haemodynamic changes.