Identification of Risk Factors Contributing to Prolonged Stay in the Post-anaesthesia Care Unit at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Introduction: Post-anesthesia care units (PACU) were developed to reduce postoperative morbidity and mortality and the ideal duration of postoperative stay has been proposed as two hours; however, the incidence and risk factors for prolonged stay are variable. The objective of this study was to assess the incidence of prolonged length of stay in the post-anesthesia care unit at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and identify the risk factors contributing to it. Methods and Materials: This is a retrospective observational study of patients who stayed in the PACU for more than two hours. A total of 2387 patients, both male and female, who underwent surgical procedures between May 2022 to August 2022 at SKMC and were admitted to the PACU after surgery were included in the study and their data were analyzed. Results: Of the 2387 patients who underwent surgical procedures, 43 (1.8%) had prolonged stays in the PACU. Of these, 20 (47%) were adult cases and 23 (53%) were pediatric cases. The main reasons for the delay in discharge from PACU in our study were the non-availability of ward beds (25.5%), followed by pain management (18.6%). Conclusions: We recommend improving the communication between different specialties, restructuring staffing, implementing changes in perioperative management, and changing operating room scheduling to prevent avoidable reasons contributing to a prolonged stay in the PACU.