Rather than regurgitating what can be found in any old textbook, I've instead created a series of clinical vignettes with a series of questions and references for your review.  The challenge in teaching anesthesiology always lies in whether to focus on clinical pearls, or on "board style" topics.  I've always felt that the major textbooks are the best resource for passing the written boards, and clinical, problem-based learning discussions are better for day-to-day teaching as well as for passing the oral boards.  With that in mind, go read the chapters on PACU problems in Miller and Barash (leave Morgan & Mikhail to the CRNA's), then attack the following with gusto!

  1. Acute pain management in the PACU: management with nerve blocks
  2. Acute pain management in the PACU: management of epidurals
  3. Acute pain management in the PACU: IV medications
  4. Airway obstruction/management in the PACU
  5. Bradycardia in the PACU
  6. Delayed emergence from general anesthesia, causes
  7. Discharge criteria
  8. Effects of Acidosis in the PACU
  9. Emergence delirium
  10. Flumazenil indications/dose/uses
  11. Hypertension in the PACU
  12. Hypotension in the PACU
  13. Hypothermia in the PACU: clinical consequences
  14. Hypoxemia in the PACU
  15. Malignant hyperthermia
  16. Naloxone indications/dose/uses
  17. Physostigmine indications/dose/uses
  18. PONV in the PACU
  19. Tachycardia in the PACU
  20. TURP syndrome
  21. Postoperative shivering
  22. Oliguria
  23. Transfusion reactions
  24. Negative pressure pulmonary edema
  25. Aspiration syndrome
  26. 5 Review Questions (aka the dreaded Quiz)
And finally, here are the recently published  ASA Practice guidelines for postanesthesia care (.pdf file)

Last updated 9/21/04 by Roy G. Soto, M.D.
© 2003, Roy G. Soto, M.D.,