Abstract
Background
The Post Anesthesia Care Units in the hospital are specific areas in which patients are temporarily monitored after their surgery has been completed, they recover from the effects of anaesthesia. It provides critical care, including pain management and vital sign monitoring, until patients are stable and meet the discharge criteria (Aldrete Score).
Materials and methods
Descriptive observational study was conducted at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital. Non-Probability ,purposive sampling technique was used for the study. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect the data. Patients who had to stay in PACU > 2 hours were included in this study. While the patients admitted in OPDs and those who did not consent to be involved in the research were excluded. The study duration was four months after the approval from departmental research committee. The sample size was 156.
Objective
To find out the clinical and non clinical factors associated with prolonged PACU stay.
Results
One hundred fifty six patients (156) stayed post-operatively in Post Anesthesia Care Units of the hospital. Hemodynamic instability (Hypotension/Tachycardia and hypertension) and respiratory events were strongly associated with prolonged PACU Stay. While the neurological and surgical effects had low impact on PACU stay as compared to cardiovascular effects. Post-op pain management had minimal impact on the PACU stay. While the non clinical factors had microscopic contribution to prolonged stay in PACU.
Conclusion
This four-month study of 156 cases depicted that clinical factors were the major contributors that caused prolong PACU stay, among them the most prevalent elements were postoperative hemodynamic instability, followed by airway events and pain requiring management. While the neurological deficits and surgical variables were also present but their occurrence was minimal. Non clinical factors were rare in our population.