ENHANCEMENT OF POSTOPERATIVE DESATURATION IN HEAVY SNORERS

The risk of postoperative decreases of arterial saturation in oxygen ( Spo(2)) could be enhanced in patients with previous history of sleep-i nduced respiratory impairment. To test this hypothesis, patients sched uled for orthopedic surgery were classified preoperatively as heavy sn orers, light snorers, and nonsnorers, according to their answers to a questionnaire. During the first postoperative night, the patients were breathing room air and both the arterial saturation and the tracheal sounds were monitored. Although the cumulated duration of snore was si milar in the three groups, the number of desaturations (decrease in Sp o(2) greater than or equal to 4%) was more in the heavy snorers (14.9 +/- 27.9) than in the light snorers (0.1 +/- 0.3) and the nonsnorers ( 0.2 +/- 0.3) (P < 0.05). The percent duration of recording at Spo(2) < 90% was longer in the heavy snorers (52.0% +/- 41.9% of the recording time) than in the two other groups: 9.3% +/- 12.4% (Light snorers) an d 17.5% +/- 21.8% (nonsnorers) (P < 0.05). Patients with a previous hi story of sleep-disordered breathing risked postoperative desaturation and could be detected preoperatively by the answers to certain questio ns.