Decreases in arterial oxygen saturation in paediatric outpatients during transfer to the postanaesthetic recovery room

Abstract

Arterial oxygen saturation was measured by pulse oximetry in two groups of paediatric outpatients breathing room air during transport from the operating room to the postanaesthetic recovery room. In Group I (n = 60) readiness for transfer from OR to PARR was decided clinically. In Group II (n = 50) additional criteria of oxygen saturation (SaO2) ≤ 98 per cent with end-tidal gas N2O ≤ 10 per cent and CO2 ≤ 45 mmHg were met. A higher incidence of desaturation (SaO2 90 per cent) occurred in Group I (27 per cent) than in Group II (eight per cent) (P < 0.05). More children under 2 yr desaturated in Group I (50 per cent) than Group II (17 per cent) (P > 0.05 > 0.10). Twenty-two patients in each group had a recent history of upper respiratory tract infections. In these patients, desaturation was more marked in those in Group I (32 per cent) than in Group II (five per cent) (P < 0.05). Within each group, the incidence of desaturation during transport was similar in patients with or without a recent URI. © 1989 Canadian Anesthesiologists.