Rotinas de Cuidados Pós-Anestésicos de Anestesiologistas Brasileiros * Postanesthetic Routines of Brazilian Anesthesiologists

SUMMARY Oliveira Fo GR - Postanesthetic Routines of Brazilian Anesthe-siologists BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There are no data onPostanesthetic Care Units (PACU) equipment, monitoring rou-tines and discharge criteria adopted by Brazilian anesthesiolo-gists. This study aimed at obtaining such data. METHODS: Anationwidesurveywasconductedwitharandomsample of 1123 anesthesiologists. Data were analyzed by sim-ple and cross tabulation and logistic regression. RESULTS: Twohundredseventy-onequestionnaires(26.59%)were analyzed. The study showed that most anesthesiologistswork in institutions with PACUs equipped with resuscitationequipment, oxygen sources, aspirators, cardioscopes, pulseoximetersandwithananesthesiologistonduty.Neuromuscularfunction monitors and active heating devices are less frequent.In a descending order of frequency, the following parametersare routinely monitored: blood pressure, heart rate, SpO 2 , con-sciousness level, airway patency, respiratory rate, nausea andvomiting, postoperative pain and muscle strength. Oxygentherapy, anti-emetics and postanesthetic shivering control areprescribedonaroutineorselectivebasisbymostanesthesiolo-gists who also record postoperative data.