Stupor due to sleep apnea syndrome after total knee replacement

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is defined as a condition of repeated episodes of apnea and hypopnea during sleep, accompanied by excessive daytime sleepiness. This syndrome is common among the adult population, and is related to an increased risk for significant complications, during and immediately after surgery. Often, this condition is undiagnosed, and is not considered in the pre-operative evaluation. Therefore, it is highly important to recognize this syndrome in patients who are scheduled for elective surgery, and provide appropriate management, in order to avoid life-threatening exacerbation in the perioperative period. Although this syndrome is common, there is low awareness of its expression in elective surgery inpatients. We present a case report of a patient who suffered from obstructive sleep apnea related respiratory distress following total knee replacement surgery.