Annales françaises d'anesthèsie et de rèanimation
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Nov 2010
Review[Obstructive sleep-apnoea syndrome in adult and its perioperative management].
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) syndrome in adult is defined as an Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index (AHI) of 5 or more per hour of sleep in a context of excessive daytime sleepiness and snoring. OSA is considered as mild with an AHI of 5-15, moderate with an AHI of 15-30, and severe with an AHI greater than 30. OSA is a highly prevalent disease since it should affect 7-15% of the middle-aged population, but most patients are not yet diagnosed for OSA. ⋯ In the postoperative period, early resuming continuous positive airway pressure and installing the OSA patient in a nonsupine position could be effective in preventing pharyngeal obstruction. Considering the timing of postoperative complications, a careful monitoring in the post-anesthesia care unit for three hours is an appropriate strategy for a majority of OSA patients. Alternatives to opioids should be promoted for postoperative pain control.