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The Management of Surgical Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

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Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a leading public health problem in both developed and developing nations. However, awareness regarding diagnostic options, management, and consequences of untreated OSA remains inadequate in the perioperative period. Adverse surgical outcomes appear to be more frequent in OSA patients. Immediate postoperative complications may be partially attributed to the negative effects of sedative, analgesic, and anesthetic agents that can worsen OSA by decreasing pharyngeal tone and the arousal responses to hypoxia, hypercarbia, and obstruction. Rebound rapid eye movement sleep after anesthesia and the use of opioids may contribute to adverse events in the postoperative period. Even though data to guide clinicians in the perioperative period is scarce, heightened awareness is recommended.

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Disclosures

The authors do not have any financial or personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence (bias) their work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. VA Western New York Healthcare System, Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Jahan Porhomayon, Ali El-Solh & Nader D. Nader

  2. Division of Critical Care Medicine, Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA

    Sanjeev Chhangani

  3. VA Medical Center, Room 203C, 3495 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA

    Jahan Porhomayon

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  1. Jahan Porhomayon
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  2. Ali El-Solh
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  4. Nader D. Nader
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Correspondence to Jahan Porhomayon.

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Porhomayon, J., El-Solh, A., Chhangani, S. et al. The Management of Surgical Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Lung 189, 359–367 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-011-9313-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-011-9313-4

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