Should oxygen be administered after laparoscopy in healthy patients?

This study aimed to assess the oxygen flow necessary to maintain satisfactory oxygen saturation when administered via a nasopharyngeal catheter. Oxygen saturation was displayed by a pulse oximeter and/or measured in arterial blood samples. Thirty-six healthy women scheduled for elective diagnostic laparoscopy were anaesthetized using thiopentone, fentanyl and O2/N2O. Atracurium was used as relaxant which was reversed with atropine and neostigmine. Arterial samples were obtained prior to anaesthesia, on arrival in the postoperative ward and 1 h postoperatively. Oxygen saturation was monitored postoperatively using a pulse oximeter. The patients were randomly divided into three groups which received either no oxygen, 2 l O2/min or 4 l O2/min. On arrival in the postoperative ward 15% of the patients were below the normal limit of O2 saturation (94%). In patients receiving 2 l or 4 l O2, oxygen saturation was well above normal values. In patients receiving no oxygen, two had low oxygen saturation (92% and 93%). Comparing saturation values obtained in arterial samples with values measured with pulse oximetry gave r = 0.79. It is concluded that all patients should be given oxygen in the immediate postoperative period. Increasing oxygen flow from 2 to 4 l/min had no major effect on oxygen saturation. These results were obtained in healthy patients following minor abdominal surgery.