Surgery for obesity and related diseases : official journal of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery
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Surg Obes Relat Dis · Nov 2013
Obstructive sleep apnea can be safely managed in a level 2 critical care setting after laparoscopic bariatric surgery.
In the United Kingdom, demand for intensive care beds (level 3 critical care) often outstrips supply, leading to frequent and frustrating cancellation of complex elective surgery. It has been suggested that patients with obstructive sleep apnea who undergo bariatric surgery should be admitted to a level 3 facility for routine postoperative management. We have questioned the validity of this dogma in the era of laparoscopic bariatric surgery by using a simple easily applicable algorithm. ⋯ Laparoscopic bariatric surgery in patients with OSA is well tolerated and does not require the routine use of level 3 critical care facilities.