What are reasons why patients require critical care after major spine surgery?
Patients undergoing major spine surgery often lose significant amounts of blood and require blood transfusions. Blood loss continues after surgery, although to a lesser extent, and requires close monitoring and often blood replacement. We often see blood clotting disturbances, electrolyte shifts, and effects on your breathing and cardiovascular systems, which, until they normalize, require a watchful eye and the ability to intervene in a timely manner. All these goals can best be accomplished in an intensive care setting, which our recovery room (PACU) – with its monitoring capabilities and skilled staff – can provide. The particular reason why your anesthesiologist would like to keep you in the recovery room will be discussed with you and your family. While we can often anticipate your staying in the recovery room for monitoring even before surgery, certain events during the surgical procedure may influence this decision making process.
