Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has emerged as a serious anesthesia safety dilemma because it often causes postoperative respiratory arrest and death, and cannot be reliably detected by preoperative history and physical examination.1-3 This essay will explain how and why the harmful habit of hyperventilation, which pervades anesthetic practice, is the underlying cause of this “dead in bed” problem.
Abnormal Anatomy
Abnormal anatomy of the hypopharynx causes OSA.