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Table 1 Patient characteristics and case-related data of 12,179 PACU patients

From: The length of stay in the post-anaesthesia care unit correlates with pain intensity, nausea and vomiting on arrival

  

Numbers,n(%)

Length of stay, hours

    

All patients

Regular PACU

IMC

Gender

Women

5,866

(48)

6.1 ± 5.9

3.4 ± 2.1

14.7 ± 6.2*

Men

6,313

(52)

5.4 ± 5.8**

2.9 ± 1.8**

15.6 ± 5.7*,**

Age

<40 years

1,312

(11)

4.4 ± 4.8

2.9 ± 1.8

14.4 ± 6.7*

40–80 years

8,009

(66)

5.7 ± 6.0**

3.1 ± 2.0**

15.8 ± 5.7*,**

>80 years

2,858

(24)

6.4 ± 6.1**

3.3 ± 2.1**

14.0 ± 6.4*

ASA classification

ASA I

1,949

(16)

3.7 ± 3.9

2.8 ± 1.6

14.3 ± 6.5*

ASA II

5,480

(45)

5.4 ± 5.6**

3.1 ± 2.0**

15.3 ± 5.8*,**

ASA III

4,628

(38)

6.9 ± 6.5**

3.3 ± 2.2**

15.1 ± 6.1*

ASA IV

122

(1)

9.8 ± 8.4**

4.4 ± 3.3**

15.7 ± 8.3*

Surgical specialities

General surgery

7,237

(59)

6.4 ± 6.3

3.4 ± 2.1

14.6 ± 6.3*

Cardiac surgery

667

(5)

6.8 ± 6.9

2.8 ± 1.6**

17.3 ± 4.1*,**

Orthopaedic surgery

675

(6)

7.1 ± 5.4**

4.8 ± 1.9**

16.1 ± 4.9*,**

Spine surgery

603

(6)

6.4 ± 5.8

3.5 ± 2.1

15.1 ± 4.3*

Urology

1,584

(13)

5.0 ± 4.6**

2.7 ± 1.6**

16.9 ± 4.9*,**

Ophthalmology

1,267

(10)

2.3 ± 1.9**

2.1 ± 0.9**

14.2 ± 4.5*,**

ENT surgery

146

(1)

3.8 ± 4.2**

2.6 ± 1.5**

16.7 ± 3.5*

Anaesthetic techniques

MAC

436

(3)

4.7 ± 5.7

2.7 ± 1.5**

16.9 ± 5.9*,**

Peripheral RA

76

(1)

5.8 ± 6.9

4.0 ± 2.1

12.2 ± 5.7*,**

Central neuraxial RA

1,048

(9)

4.1 ± 4.3**

3.0 ± 1.8

15.6 ± 5.7*

General anaesthesia

8,979

(74)

5.3 ± 5.7

3.0 ± 1.9

15.1 ± 6.0*

Combined anaesthesia

1,640

(13)

8.8 ± 6.8**

4.3 ± 2.3**

15.0 ± 5.9*

Duration of anaesthesia

<60 min

196

(4)

5.0 ± 6.1

2.6 ± 1.5

16.2 ± 6.7*

60–180 min

7,888

(63)

4.0 ± 4.1**

2.9 ± 1.7

14.1 ± 6.6*

>180 min

4,095

(33)

8.8 ± 7.1**

3.9 ± 2.4**

15.5 ± 5.7*

Intensity of nursing care

Regular PACU/IMC

9,603/2,576

(78/22)

5.7 ± 5.9

3.2 ± 2.3

15.1 ± 6.0*

  1. ASA classification American Society of Anesthesiologists’ classification, ENT ear-nose-throat, IMC intermediate care (more complex, intermediate care patients, NEMS >15), MAC monitored anaesthesia care, PACU post-anaesthesia care unit (regular post-anaesthesia care unit patients, NEMS ≤15), RA regional anaesthesia.
  2. *p <0.05 (comparison PACU-IMC), **p <0.05 (age: comparison with age <40 years; ASA classification: comparison with ASA I; surgical specialities: comparison with general surgery; anaesthetic technique: comparison with general anaesthesia; duration of anaesthesia: comparison with duration <60 min).
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Perioperative Medicine

ISSN: 2047-0525