Editor's Note Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an important risk factor for postoperative complications in cardiac surgery patients, finds this meta-analysis led by Frances Chung, MD, a noted expert on OSA. After cardiac surgery, major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events and newly documented postoperative atrial fibrillation were 33.3% and 18.1%…

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Editor's Note This meta-analysis found that patients at higher risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as determined by preoperative STOP-Bang screening, had a higher risk of postoperative adverse events and longer length of hospital stay, compared with lower risk-OSA patients. The analysis included 10 studies with 23,609 patients (7,877 high-risk…

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Editor's Note In this study, patients diagnosed on the day of surgery as moderate to high risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) had similar rates of adverse respiratory events (ie, perioperative hypoxemia and difficult airway management) as patients who had been diagnosed with OSA previously. However, those diagnosed with OSA…

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Editor's Note This population-based analysis finds that implementation of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) interventions in total joint patients is limited, with some current trends virtually in contrast to practice guidelines. Of more than 1 million patients analyzed, anesthetic techniques did not differ by OSA status, and overall, less than 25%…

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Editor's Note In its process for issuing a new recommendation on screening for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in asymptomatic adults or adults with unrecognized symptoms, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found insufficient evidence on screening for or treatment of OSA. The USPSTF concluded that the current evidence is…

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This issue of OR Manager will be published around Thanksgiving, and we hope it won’t be overlooked in the wake of holiday preparations. Important information such as the upcoming Joint Commission survey changes, for example, should not be missed (cover story). Surveys were discussed during the 2016 OR Manager Conference.…

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Editor's Note These guidelines were developed to provide a more efficient and cost-effective preoperative workup of patients with diagnosed or suspected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). They examine the existing evidence-base for preoperative screening and preparation of patients with OSA, as well as the perioperative use of CPAP in patients with…

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Editor's Note In this meta-analysis, the majority of studies suggest that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications. The studies reported worse outcomes for a number of events, including pulmonary and combined complications among OSA patients versus control patients. The association between OSA and…

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Editor's Note Implementation of a pediatric screening questionnaire (Snoring, Trouble Breathing, Un-Refreshed [STBUR]) helped anesthesia professionals identify children with symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing before undergoing general anesthesia, in this study. The likelihood of developing a perioperative respiratory adverse event increased three-fold when three of the five questions were answered yes…

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Editor's Note Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals, Philadelphia, have created a clinical pathway to identify obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in hospitalized patients with known risks. The pathway involved a questionnaire and overnight pulse-oximetry testing. Patients with a high oxygen desaturation index were recommended to undergo overnight polysomnography. Of those…

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