Postanesthesia care of the pallidotomy patient

The pallidotomy patient presents a challenge in the PACU. The PACU nurse should be knowledgeable about the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease and the medications used to treat it. Prevention of postoperative complications depends on the PACU nurse's collection of baseline data and development of ongoing assessment. As the population ages, it is conceivable that pallidotomies may be performed on a more frequent basis. The PACU nurse has the opportunity to improve the outcomes for this specific population of patients.