BMJ Review: Risks of general anaesthesia in people with obstructive sleep apnoea

Posted by Clark Venable on 10/21/2004

Risks of general anaesthesia in people with obstructive sleep apnoea

""Summary points

Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea are at high risk of developing complications when having surgery or other invasive interventions under general anaesthesia, whether or not the surgery is related to obstructive sleep apnoea

Surgeons of all specialties, and especially anaesthetists, should be aware that undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea is common

They should be alert to patients who are at risk of having obstructive sleep apnoea and be aware of the potential preoperative and postoperative complications in such patients

Management options include alternative methods of pain relief, use of nasal continuous airway pressure before and after surgery, and surveillance in an intensive care unit, especially after nasal surgery in which packs are used

An algorithm for management of difficult airways should be established""

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