Are patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome appropriate candidates for the ambulatory surgical center?

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) provide surgical care for patients not requiring hospital admission for their postoperative care. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a disease process affecting every phase of anesthesia care delivery. The potential complications of OSAS and anesthesia care have been well documented in the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative phases. Patients with OSAS undergoing procedures at ASCs may be at increased risk because they are discharged to home. The influence of residual anesthetics, analgesia, airway edema, and disruption of sleep cycles may result in significant postoperative apneic events in this patient population. There is a lack of studies regarding the outcomes and management of patients with OSAS in the outpatient and ASC environments. Until there are more studies defining the risk and outlining safe and appropriate care for these patients, it would seem reasonable to remain conservative in our approach because the negative outcomes in this population can be catastrophic.