Influence of Upper Abdominal Surgery and Lower Abdominal Surgery on Early Postoperative Hypoxemia in Adults Undergoing Elective Surgery-A Comparative Study

Background: Postoperative hypoxemia is common complication in early postoperative period. Upper abdominal surgery significantly impairs the respiratory mechanics for ventilation resulting in hypoxemia. Aim and Objectives: To observe the incidence, severity and duration of early postoperative hypoxemia in adults undergoing elective upper and lower abdominal surgeries. Material and Methods: This study was conducted in 50 patients of 20- 50 years, posted for various abdominal surgeries, SPO levels were recorded 2 for all the patients when breathing room air, in the recovery room by pulse oximeter. Results: In the recovery room, while patients breathed room air, SpO2 was 91.1% in upper abdominal surgery patients (Group I) then increased gradually but SpO was 94.4% in lower 2 abdominal surgery patients (Group II) and improved over a shorter period than the Group I. SpO returned to 2 >95% in all patients of Group II after 15 minutes of operation. However, in Group I patients SpO levels had 2 reached 95% by 3 h after the operation. Conclusion:The degree of arterial desaturation and the incidence of hypoxemia were closely related to the operative sites in the upper abdominal surgery and lower abdominal surgery in the immediate postoperative period. Hence requires close respiratory monitoring and oxygen therapy during the early postoperative period