gms | German Medical Science

Introduction: It is known that patients with OSA have a higher complication rate after elective surgery. Therefore postoperative ICU observation for one night is standard in many clinics. The question came up, whether such a monitoring may reduce compli-cations.

Method: The data of all patients, who experienced postoperative monitoring at the ICU due to the diagnosis or reasoned suspicion of OSA in 2010, were analysed retrospectively (n=102).

Results: 78% of the patients had at least one additional disease, which required regular medication (e.g. hypertonia, coronary heart disease, diabetes). Besides the diagnosis of OSA, 41% of the patients had further reasons for a monitoring at the ICU. An intensive care intervention was necessary in 8% during the first postoperative night, e.g. cardiological diagnostics in a case of stenocardia. All patients, who needed interventions, had additional reasons for a monitoring beside the OSA. In the postoperative follow-up one patient died at the 3rd postoperative night after transfer to the regular ward. Another patient needed ICU monitoring at the 4th postoperative night again. These two patients were monitored because of reasons beside the diagnosis of OSA, too.

Discussion: In conclusion, the high rate of comorbidities in patients with OSA makes ICU control necessary in all cases with relevant concomitant diseases. Complications should be expected in patients who are classified “endangered postoperatively” due to additional diseases.