Surgery on patients with OSA can be problematic, and a preoperative assessment is useful as a predictor of complications and as a means of planning best clinical practice. This proposed assessment takes into account the 3 major areas of concern, namely the severity of OSA, the planned procedure, and the need for perioperative sedation and analgesia.
I would encourage others to have such an approach to preoperative assessment and management of surgical patients with OSA.
Reviewer
Dr David Barnes
Associate Professor
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital