STOP-Bang Assessment and Postoperative Outcomes

Abstract

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common cause of intraoperative and postoperative complications in the surgical setting.

Design: Retrospective chart analysis.

Methods: Complete review of 150 patient charts over a 3-month period.

Finding: Findings indicated that of the 150 charts reviewed, 87 (58%) screened high (STOP-Bang score of 3 or greater) for OSA. Patients at a high risk for OSA preoperatively had a higher rate of postoperative complications compared with patients at low risk (79.49% vs 20.51%; χ² = 18.94, P = .004). Postoperative complications included events such as hypoxemia and acute hypercapnia.

Conclusions: There is a relationship between scores of the STOP-Bang Screening Questionnaire and postoperative complications among surgical patients.

Keywords: OSA; Obstructive Sleep Apnea; STOP-Bang Screening Questionnaire; preoperative screening.