Postoperative hypoxaemia after major abdominal vascular surgery.
We have studied the severity and duration of nocturnal hypoxaemia before operation and for the first five nights after operation after elective major abdominal vascular surgery. Oxygen supplementation was almost 100% effective in keeping oxygen saturation greater than 90% during the early postoperative period; however, 50% of patients spent prolonged periods with an SpO2 less than 85% during at least one night after operation. The risk of severe hypoxaemia persists well beyond the current prescription of supplementary oxygen in these high risk patients. A significant association exists between the mean preoperative overnight saturation value and the nocturnal saturation observed subsequently in the later postoperative period.
Reeder
M K
MK
Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford.
Goldman
M D
MD
Loh
L
L
Muir
A D
AD
Foëx
P
P
Casey
K R
KR
McKenzie
P J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012307:Risk Factors
D010100:Oxygen