• Gianmaria Cammarota, Edoardo De Robertis, and Rachele Simonte.
• Department of Translational Medicine, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara.
• Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2024 Apr 1; 37 (2): 192198192-198.

Purpose Of ReviewThis review is focused on providing insights into unplanned admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery, including its causes, effects on clinical outcome, and potential strategies to mitigate the strain on healthcare systems.Recent FindingsPostoperative unplanned ICU admission results from a combination of several factors including patient's clinical status, the type of surgical procedure, the level of supportive care and clinical monitoring outside the ICU, and the unexpected occurrence of major perioperative and postoperative complications. The actual impact of unplanned admission to ICU after surgery on clinical outcome remains uncertain, given the conflicting results from several observational studies and recent randomized clinical trials. Nonetheless, unplanned ICU admission after surgery results a significant strain on hospital resources. Consequently, this issue should be addressed in hospital policy with the aim of implementing preoperative risk assessment and patient evaluation, effective communication, vigilant supervision, and the promotion of cooperative healthcare.SummaryUnplanned ICU admission after surgery is a multifactorial phenomenon that imposes a significant burden on healthcare systems without a clear impact on clinical outcome. Thus, the early identification of patient necessitating ICU interventions is imperative.Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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