• T Prien and H Van Aken.
• Klinik und Poliklinik für Anästhesiologie und operative Intensivmedizin, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
• Anaesthesist. 1997 Oct 1; 46 Suppl 2: S109-13.

AbstractHistorically, recovery rooms were established in order to reduce complications in the period immediately following surgery and anaesthesia, utilising staffing and equipment resources economically. To minimise the incidence of postoperative complications remains the main task of post anaesthesia care units (PACU). However, especially in hospitals with a high degree of surgical emergencies, the scope of tasks and procedures within the PACU has expanded. Facing restricted capacities in intensive therapy (ITU) and high dependency units (HDU) the PACU serves as a buffer; intensive care functions can be covered here until the patient can be admitted to an intensive care unit. In this context, the PACU also has a switch function; postoperatively, the patient is evaluated here and the level for further treatment determined: ITU, HDU, or normal ward. The PACU period can be utilised to improve the patient's condition (upgrade function) enabling continuation of treatment on a lower level (HDU instead of ITU, normal ward instead of HDU). This combination of buffer, switch and upgrade function is of special importance when ITU and HDU resources are limited. A new task for the PACU arises from efforts to optimise acute pain therapy; initial adjustment of continuous infusion systems according to the patients' needs can be performed here without additional staffing requirements. Finally, the PACU can be used preoperatively for "tune up" procedures in high risk patients. The basis for co-operation between anaesthetist and surgeon is the separation of responsibilities in combination with mutual trust. Accordingly, the anaesthetist is responsible for monitoring and maintenance of vital functions. Consequently, the anesthetist has a professional and organisational responsibility in the PACU. The surgeon can and must rely on notification whenever surgical complications may require his intervention. With increasing comorbidity of patients and complexity of surgical procedures the anaesthetist's responsibility in the immediate perioperative period gains a new quality. The number of surgical procedures requiring intraoperative intensive therapy from the anaesthetist is increasing; the delivery of anaesthesia becomes a background task during these operations. Thus, the anaesthetist becomes responsible for perioperative patient treatment in the operating room area which divides into three phases: preoperative "tune up" in the PACU (e.g.) haemodynamic optimisation, starting continuous regional anaesthesia techniques), anaesthesia and support of vital functions in the OR, and immediately postoperative treatment in the PACU.

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