Preventing Post-op Respiratory Depression

Respiratory Compromise: 97% Preventable in Recovery 

In an analysis of postoperative respiratory depression (RD) events that resulted in injuries or deaths, 97% were judged as preventable with better monitoring. In claims that resulted in lawsuits, the time between the last nursing check and the discovery of RD was¹:

• Within 2 hours in 42% of the cases
• Within 15 minutes in 16% of the cases

Early detection through better monitoring can make a difference. 

Click here to view a summary of the paper or access the study.

TOPIC: Respiratory Compromise

1. Lee LA, Caplan RA, Stephens LS, et al. Postoperative Opioid-induced Respiratory Depression: A Closed Claims Analysis. Anesthesiology. 2015;122(3):659-665.