The Postoperative Period

Emergence from anesthesia is a transition from a controlled to an uncontrolled state and is rife with possibilities of complications. The patient may be distressed by inadequate pain control, nausea, or shivering. However, complications involving the respiratory, the cardiovascular, the renal, or the neurological systems can be associated with significant morbidity and even mortality. A brief summary of the potential complications to be anticipated in the post-anesthesiaAnesthesia care unit is described here.