Key points
- There is a lack of standardised day case criteria for patients with
OSA undergoing nasal and/or palatopharyngeal surgery.
- Approximately 50% of 1727 patients with OSA in 10 published series
were discharged as a day case following nasal and/or palatopharyngeal
surgery. It was not clear which cases were planned as a daycase and
which cases were allowed home the same day based on favourable
post-operative clinical parameters.
- Respiratory events occurred in around 5%, and the majority of these
patients were simple desaturations managed by oxygen supplementation
in the inpatient groups. Other complications included laryngospasms,
tongue swelling and floor of mouth haematoma causing airway
obstruction.
- Concurrent tongue base surgery was associated with more serious
respiratory events such as tongue swelling and floor of mouth
haematoma causing airway obstruction.
- There is a need for well-designed prospective studies exploring
pre-defined discharge criteria and the systematic assessment of
post-operative complications especially in the daycase group to
provide more evidence on the safety in this population.