Patients with OSA Do's and Don'ts
Facts about OSA in the Workplace
OSA & Surgery:
OSA patients are at much greater risk for complications during anesthesia and post-surgery. Anesthesia and pain medications can cause the muscles that support the airway to relax, increasing the likelihood of airway collapse. Patients are often on their back following surgery, and lying on one's back increases the likelihood of an airway obstruction in OSA patients.
Airway obstruction in patients following surgery may lead to the following:
- mental confusion
- wound breakdown
- myocardial ischaemia
- stroke
- death
To prevent these complications, OSA patients should be kept off of their back whenever possible post-operatively, and those with severe OSA should be placed on CPAP. The use of opiate or sedative medications should be avoided since it contributes to the occurrence of airway obstruction.
Physician References for OSA & Surgery