Objectives: This study aimed to determine the incidence of desaturation (SpO₂ ≤94%) during the transfer of postoperative patients from the operating room to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) without oxygen support and to identify factors associated with desaturation. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2023 and July 2024 in the operating room and PACU of a training and research hospital. The sample consisted of 164 patients. Data were collected using the Oxygen Saturation Assessment Form. Post-extubation oxygen saturation levels were continuously monitored with a pulse oximeter during transfer to the PACU and until discharge. Results: During transfer from the operating room to the PACU, 43.3% of patients had SpO₂ ≤94%, and 8.4% of these patients had SpO₂ 90%. Patients who developed desaturation had significantly higher mean age and body mass index (BMI) and lower preoperative SpO₂ values (P0.001). Desaturation was significantly associated with female sex and the presence of chronic disease (P=0.032), whereas no significant association was found with smoking history or ASA score (P0.05). In addition, desaturation was associated with general surgical procedures, the supine position, upper abdominal and thyroid surgeries, and the use of neuromuscular blocking agents (P0.05). Conclusions: Approximately half of postoperative patients experienced SpO₂ ≤ 94% in the early postoperative period. Advanced age, higher BMI, lower preoperative SpO₂ values, comorbidities, upper abdominal and thyroid surgical incisions, and the use of respiratory-depressant neuromuscular agents were identified as key factors negatively affecting postoperative oxygen saturation.
Parlak et al. (Wed,) studied this question.