[Pulse oximetry reduces the unnecessary administration of oxygen in the postanesthesia recovery period].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether patients admitted to the postanesthesia recovery unit (PRU) need routine oxygen supplementation in the immediate postoperative period, by measuring changes in arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) with a pulse oximeter.


METHODS
Two hundred ninety-nine patients were admitted to the PRU after surgery. All breathed room air after their operations. During transfer to and time in the PRU, SpO2 was recorded. We administered oxygen through a face mask to patients whose SpO2 fell below 94% and to patients whose SpO2 levels fell below baseline, when baseline values were less than 94%. We recorded patient data, physical status (ASA), type of anesthesia, duration of surgery, Aldrete score upon admission to the PRU and SpO2 before and after surgery while the patient breathed room air.


RESULTS
General anesthesia was used in 82.3% of the patients and local-regional anesthesia with sedation in 17.7%. PRU stay was 75.6 +/- 92.4 min. Twenty-five percent of the patients were treated with oxygen after surgery and 75% did not require supplemental oxygen. Time until the appearance of desaturation was 3.3 +/- 2.8 min. The coefficient of multiple correlation between postoperative SpO2 while breathing room air (dependent variable) and preoperative SpO2, age and duration of surgery was R = 0.522 (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results are sufficient to demonstrate the validity of pulse oximetry for avoiding indiscriminate oxygen supplementation in patients admitted to the PRU.
Hernández-Palazón
J
J
Servicios de Anestesiología y Reanimación, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, Murcia.
Moya Solera
J
J
Tortosa Serrano
J A
JA
Ros Sempere
M
M
Burguillos López
S
S
Doménech Asensi
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010092:Oximetry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*
D010100:Oxygen