Recovery Period

Question 1

Define the recovery period

Answer 1

The period of disconnection of anaesthetic administration to the time when the animal can maintain unsupported sternal recumbency

Question 2

What percentage of anaesthetic mortality occurs during the recovery period?

Answer 2

60%

Question 3

What does the length of recovery depend on?

Answer 3

• length of anaesthesia
• the patient’s condition
• patient’s age
• type of anaesthesia and whether it was reversed
• patient’s body temperature

Question 4

What should you remember to do before extubating?

Answer 4

Deflate the cuff and untie the mouth tape

Question 5

What position should a recovering patient be placed in?

Answer 5

Lateral or sternal recumbency with tongue gently pulled forward

Question 6

How are injectable anaesthetics removed from the body?

Answer 6

Transported in blood to the liver where they are metabolised and then excreted by the kidneys in the urine.
Some are excreted unchanged e.g. ketamine in cats

Question 7

How are inhalational agents eliminated?

Answer 7

Via the lungs

Question 8

Describe how levels of pain post-surgery will differ?

Answer 8

Depends on procedure:

• E.g. fracture that has been repaired will have been severely painful but after is fixed may be less painful.
• E.g. chronic pain like arthritis may have more pain post-op

Also if surgical technique is poor, there may be more pain

Question 9

When would perioperative analgesia contraindicated?

Answer 9

In conditions where intra-cranial pressure is increased

Question 10

What can cause a prolonged recovery?

Answer 10

• severe pain
• persistent drug activity
• hypothermia

Question 11

What can we do to ensure that recovery is quick?

Answer 11

• adequate analgesia
• keep patient warm
• reverse drugs if possible (direction from VS) (care that you will lose the analgesic effects of any anaesthetics used)

Question 12

What can a stormy recovery be due to?

Answer 12

• Pain
• Hangover from anaesthesia
• Convulsions/epilepsy

Question 13

What can be done if a patient becomes hypoxic during recovery?

Answer 13

• Mask or flow-by O2
• intranasal catheter
• tracheostomy tube
• oxygen tent

Question 14

What should be done to patients unable to maintain sternal recumbency?

Answer 14

Turned every 2 hours to avoid hypostatic congestion

- Keep patient warm

Question 15

Why is a patient hypothermic after surgery usually?

Answer 15

• Open body cavity
• Clipped fur
• Cold scrub solution
• Lack of movement for long time
• Administration of cold o2

Question 16

What are the main roles of the nurse during recovery?

Answer 16

• Monitoring the patient
• Ensuring adequate oxygenation
• Avoid hypothermia
• Managing pain
• Reversing drugs if necessary
• Turning recumbent patients
• Monitoring wounds
• Monitoring patient interference
• Reporting concerns to VS