Hypoxia in children following general anaesthesia

Abstract

The oxygen saturations of 152 children were studied for the first 30 minutes folowing general anaesthesia with a pulse oximeter. Thirty-six patients (24%) recorded oxygen saturations of less than 90% while breathing room air and in all cases this occurred during the first ten minutes. Intubation (P < 0.001), use of muscle relaxants (P < 0.01), intravenous induction (P < 0.01) and duration of anaesthesia of greater than one hour (P < 0.02) were all associated with an increased incidence of hypoxaemia. There was no significant correlation with age, weight, procedure, time to wakening, or use of opiates. Clinical signs correlated poorly with hypoxemia and it is recommended that all children should receive supplementary oxygen during transport to recovery wards and for at least the first ten minutes in recovery following general anaesthesia.