ABSTRACT
Patients with respiratory disease can be divided into patients with an acute illness and those with chronic disease. Frequently, patients will present for surgery with symptoms of an upper and/or lower respiratory tract infection. Considerable variation exists among anaesthetists regarding their practice in continuing or delaying surgery. Patients with pre-existing respiratory disease commonly present for surgery. Respiratory complications occur frequently post-operatively and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Anaesthesia, in particular general anaesthesia, has numerous effects upon the respiratory system. Local anaesthesia or peripheral nerve blockade are possible for limb, eye and some head and neck surgery. Patients with respiratory disease limiting function and in whom major surgery is being undertaken should be admitted to critical care. Obstructive sleep apnoea, although not typically thought to be an obstructive respiratory condition, causes impaired gas flow during sleep because of loss of pharyngeal tone.
