A five-year review of upper airway obstruction in the immediate general anaesthetic post-operative period in Enugu, Nigeria, 1990-1994

Abstract

Aim: To determine the incidence and causes of upper airway obstruction in the Post Anaesthesia Recovery Room (PARR) of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, from January 1990 to December 1994

Materials and methods: A retrospective study of 4500 anaesthetic charts from January 1990 to December 1994 was undertaken. Cases where upper respiratory tract obstruction (URTO) occurred were retrieved and reviewed. Information sought for included patient's age, sex, pre-operative physical status (ASA), type of surgery, probable cause of URTO, and management outcome.

Results: Twenty-five patients had URTO during the study period giving an overall incidence of 0.56% or 56 in 10,000 general anaesthetics. The most common cause of URTO in the recovery room was laryngospasm followed by the backward fall of patients tongue.

Conclusion: This study has shown that upper airway obstruction is a fairly common complication in the post-anesthesia recovery room and that laryngospasm is the most important aetiology.