Oxygen administration during transport and recovery after outpatient surgery does not prevent episodic arterial desaturation.

Study Objective: To compare the efficacy of two different oxygen (O2) delivery systems in preventing episodic arterial desaturation in the immediate postoperative period.

Study Design: Randomized, prospective, nonblinded comparison in patients.

Setting: Operating room and postanesthesia care unit (PACU) of a university outpatient surgery center.

Patients: 100 ASA status I and II adults, male and female, age greater than 18 years, undergoing outpatient surgical procedures not involving the upper airway.

Interventions: Group I received supplemental O2 administered by bag-valve-mask during transport, followed by 40% face shield in the PACU. Group 2 received supplemental O2 by nasal cannula at 4 L/min both during transport and during PACU stay.

Measurements And Main Results: Arterial O2 saturation (SpO2) was collected by computer from a recording pulse oximeter at 15-second intervals beginning before extubation and continuing until O2 administration was discontinued in PACU. Neither mode of therapy was successful in completely eliminating arterial desaturation defined as SpO2 less than 90%, nor was there any difference in efficacy between the two treatment groups. Group 1 had 8 patients desaturate on 9 different occasions (5 times during transport, 4 times in PACU). Group 2 had 5 patients desaturate on 9 different occasions (4 times during transport, 5 times in PACU).

Conclusion: Routine O2 administration during transport and PACU stay did not abolish episodic desaturation, even in healthy patients undergoing minor surgical procedures. Given the marked difference in acquisition cost, it would appear that O2 administration by nasal cannula is a more cost-effective alternative for routine postoperative O2 administration in certain groups of patients undergoing general anesthesia for outpatient surgery.