How to Organise the PACU? What to Treat in the PACU?

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Abstract

The implementation of the post-anaesthesia care units (PACUs) has the potential to improve patient safety and reduce the incidence of early postoperative complications and mortality, length of hospital stay and hospital costs. Increased availability of the PACU beds resulted in reduced utilisation of intensive care unit resources without compromising patient care after major thoracic surgery. There is an emphasis on early identification and treatment of adverse events occurring in the PACU such as airway obstruction, aspiration of vomitus, postoperative nausea and vomiting, inadequate ventilation from residual anaesthetics or muscle relaxants, anxiety, glycaemic control, pain, hypothermia and cardiopulmonary, renal and surgical complications. This could improve the outcome and reduce mortality after thoracic surgery.

Keywords

Thoracic Epidural Analgesia Emergence Delirium Thoracic Procedure Chest Tube Output Cardiac Herniation 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Notes

Acknowledgements

The authors want to express his appreciation for Ms. Angelin Jeba Suja, PACU staff nurse, King Fahd Hospital of the University of Dammam, for preparing the included photographs in this chapter.

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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Anaesthesiology DepartmentCollege of Medicine, University of DammamDammamSaudi Arabia

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