title: Body position and late postoperative nocturnal hypoxaemia.
abstract: Thirteen patients were monitored for nocturnal body position (supine vs. side) and arterial oxygen saturation pre-operatively and on the second postoperative night after major abdominal surgery. The number of positional changes were significantly decreased after operation (p < 0.05) with a trend towards more time spent in the supine position (p = 0.1). Individual mean arterial oxygen saturation decreased postoperatively (p < 0.05) but without a difference between the supine and side positions (p = 0.9). Pre-operatively, episodic desaturations were significantly more frequent in the supine position than on the side (p < 0.05) but not postoperatively. Pain was the most frequent reason for decreased nocturnal movements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Hvidovre University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosenberg-Adamsen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stausholm
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Edvardsen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zwarts
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kehlet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010313:Partial Pressure; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016683:Supine Position / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen