Obstructive Sleep Apnea
CPAP Reduces Post-op Apnea Risk
Is your PACU equipped with a continuous positive airway pressure machine and a few sleep apnea masks? It should be, say researchers at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Utah, who found that you can reduce respiratory complications immediately after surgery if you identify patients with obstructive sleep apnea beforehand and fit them with a CPAP mask for their first few minutes in the recovery room.