Developments in surgery have enabled more ambitious operations to be attempted than ever before, while similar advances in anaesthesia and monitoring have meant that many patients who were previously considered unfit now undergo surgery. It is essential that standards of patient care during surgery are continued post-operatively until the depressant effects of anaesthesia have worn off and it is safe for patients to return to the wards or to their homes. The importance of adequate supervision by well-trained nurs ing staff in properly equipped surroundings has been recognised by the...

Post-Operative Recovery and Pain Relief describes the major problems that may be encountered during recovery from anaesthesia and suggest how they may be avoided by careful monitoring, vigilant nursing and sound organization. The behaviour of patients during recovery is influenced by their pre-operative medical condition, by drugs they may receive both pre- and intra-operatively and by the nature of the surgery they have undergone. This updated and revised version of Eltringham's "Post Anaesthetic Recovery" contains sections devoted to each of these areas which reflect the current best...