1. Purpose of guideline for postanaesthesia care:
To improve postanaesthesia care outcomes for patients who
have just had anaesthesia or obstetric care or sedation or
analgesia care. This is accomplished by evaluating
available evidence and providing recommendations
for patient assessment, monitoring and management
with the goal of optimizing patient safety. It is
expected that each recommendation will be individualized
according to the needs of each patient.
2. Definition of postanaesthesia care:
Activities undertaken to safely manage the patient following
completion of a surgical procedure and the concomitant
primary anaesthetic care, including identification and
immediate treatment of early complications of both
anaesthesia and surgery before they develop into deleterious
consequences.
3. Definition of postanaesthesia care unit:
A unit located as close to operating theatres as possible
in order to avoid unnecessary time loss for transfer of
unstable patients, staffed and equipped for serving for
treatment and care of patients during their immediate
postanaesthesia or post surgery period, regardless of
the type of interventions, before they are scheduled
to be admitted to general wards, other units of the
hospital or discharged home. Postanaesthesia care
units (PACUs) have to be standards in most hospitals
of European countries [1,2].