OSA Risk Level in Dental Patients and Correlation With Complications After General Anesthesia

Overview

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep-related respiratory dysfunction. The prevalence of OSA is increasing with the increasing rates of obesity and elderly population worldwide. Perioperative anesthesia management should be adjusted to improve patient safety in patients with OSA. In OSA patients, positive pressure ventilation support may be required in the preoperative period, various ventilation strategies may be required in the intraoperative period, different pharmacologic agents may need to be avoided, and intensive care unit follow-up or noninvasive ventilation support may be required in the postoperative period. However, it is reported that a significant percentage of OSA patients remain undiagnosed. ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) has reported the criteria that should be questioned in order to determine the risk of patients in terms of OSA and to initiate the diagnostic process in risky patients and to make appropriate anesthesiologic arrangements in the perioperative period. In addition, the STOP-BANG assessment scale, which is widely used all over the world in OSA risk assessment, is also used in OSA risk assessment. It is thought that dental caries and extraction needs may be higher in OSA patients, especially since open-mouth sleeping accompanies the situation. In this respect, it is also important for patients to be diagnosed with OSA as it may prevent dental damage due to open-mouth sleeping in the future. Identifying patients at risk for OSA and directing them to the diagnostic process is very important for patient safety. Within the scope of the study, the criteria recommended by ASA and STOP-BANG score will be evaluated and recorded. Risk stratification in terms of STOP-BANG questionnaire and ASA criteria will be done separately for each patient and for each classification method. Patients at high risk will be consulted to the relevant medical department in the preoperative period for further investigation and treatment. In addition, it is aimed to correlate the risk levels determined in the study with postoperative respiratory complications and recovery time.

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