Screening for OSA before Surgery

[JoyD.]

Wouldn't it be great if this was incorporated in Pre-Surgical Testing?! It would surely pick up some of the MANY undiagnosed OSA patients

Screening for obstructive sleep apnea before surgery: why is it important?

CHUNG F, ELSAID H.
Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 2009;22(3):405-11.
Department of Anesthesia, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Abstract:
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this article is to review the screening tools available in the preoperative clinic for patients at risk of obstructive sleep apnea. RECENT FINDINGS: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most prevalent sleep disorder. An estimated 82% of men and 92% of women with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea have not been diagnosed. Patients with undiagnosed OSA may have increased perioperative complications. The perioperative risk of patients with OSA may be reduced by appropriate screening to detect undiagnosed OSA in patients. The snoring (S), tiredness (T) during daytime, observed apnea (O), and high blood pressure (P) (STOP) questionnaire is a concise and easy-to-use screening tool to identify patients with a high risk of OSA. It has been validated in surgical patients at preoperative clinics as a screening tool. Incorporating BMI, age, neck size and gender into the STOP questionnaire (STOP-Bang), will further increase the sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV), especially for patients with moderate-to-severe OSA. SUMMARY: The STOP questionnaire is short and can be easily incorporated into routine screening of general or surgical patients.

[Mist]

I am going to be having surgery in September (bumped it back from June).

My surgeon sent me to the sleep doctor for testing before surgery.

I truly think the Epworth scale should be given by every surgeon to determine if a patient needs screened for OSA.

[JoyD.]

I am going to be having surgery in September (bumped it back from June).

My surgeon sent me to the sleep doctor for testing before surgery.

I truly think the Epworth scale should be given by every surgeon to determine if a patient needs screened for OSA.

WOW, Mist . . . I'm impressed that your surgeon sent you to a sleep doc. Hope others are doing the same.

Best wishes for a smooth and successful surgery, and a quick recovery! (Don't forget to take your CPAP machine with you for your
hospital stay!)

Joy