Obstructive sleep apnea in the perioperative setting: complications and management strategies

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is frequently encountered in an undiagnosed, untreated state in perioperative patients. It increases the risk of respiratory, cardiac, and infectious complications following surgical procedures. Patients with OSA may require additional monitoring, unplanned escalations in care, and prolonged hospitalization. It is important to identify patients at risk for OSA during the preoperative assessment so that appropriate anesthesia, postsurgical monitoring, and pain control can be planned. Herein, we discuss data regarding perioperative outcomes in patients with OSA, methods to quickly identify patients at high risk for OSA, and implementation of clinical safeguards to minimize OSA-associated complications. An algorithm is provided to guide the perioperative management of patients with OSA.