Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of intraoperative anesthesia care handovers on mortality, hospital readmission, and intraoperative/postoperative complications in patients undergoing major surgery in Saudi Arabia.
Methods: It was a retrospective cohort study conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. An Excel sheet was used for data entry. A convenient sampling method was used in the study.
Results: The majority of the patients were female (53.7%) and aged between 21 and 60 years (71.5%). Overweight and obese individuals accounted for a significant proportion of the sample. Anesthesia handover was performed for a small percentage of patients (11.3%). Postoperative pain was reported by 37.5% of patients, while nausea and vomiting were experienced by a smaller percentage. The use of pain medications was relatively low (22.2%), with morphine being the most common choice. Vital parameters such as heart rate and blood pressure showed significant changes after the procedure. Anesthesia handover was associated with higher rates of postoperative pain and had a significant correlation with postoperative nausea and vomiting.
Conclusion: The findings of this study contributed to improving perioperative care and optimizing patient outcomes in the field of anesthesia. The study highlighted the importance of tailored pain management strategies and standardized protocols for anesthesia handover. Further research is needed to refine perioperative practices and enhance overall patient care.

Key words: Anesthesia handover, anesthesia, postoperative complications, nausea, Saudi Arabia.