Surgical Apgar score is strongly associated with postoperative ICU admission

Immediate postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) admission can increase the survival rate in patients undergoing high-risk surgeries. Nevertheless, less than 15% of such patients are immediately admitted to the ICU due to no reliable criteria for admission. The surgical Apgar score (SAS) (0-10) can be used to predict postoperative complications, mortality rates, and ICU admission after high-risk intra-abdominal surgery. Our study was performed to determine the relationship between the SAS and postoperative ICU transfer after all surgeries. All patients undergoing operative anesthesia were retrospectively enrolled. Among 13,139 patients, 68.4% and <9% of whom had a SASs of 7-10 and 0-4. Patients transferred to the ICU immediately after surgery was 7.8%. Age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, emergency surgery, and the SAS were associated with ICU admission. The odds ratios for ICU admission in patients with SASs of 0-2, 3-4, and 5-6 were 5.2, 2.26, and 1.73, respectively (P<0.001). In general, a higher ASA classification and a lower SAS were associated with higher rates of postoperative ICU admission after all surgeries. Although the SAS is calculated intraoperatively, it is a powerful tool for clinical decision-making regarding the immediate postoperative ICU transfer.

Automated summary

Immediate postoperative ICU admission improves survival rates in high-risk surgery patients, but lack of reliable criteria results in less than 15% being admitted directly. The Surgical Apgar Score (SAS) can predict postoperative outcomes, with higher ASA classification and lower SAS linked to increased ICU admission rates.