Abstract
Patients in the postanesthesia care unit usually experience an uneventful recovery from anesthesia, but there are numerous events that may occur that require a rapid and organized approach to treat potentially lifethreatening emergencies. Frequent situations include airwayrelated obstruction and respiratory depression to hemodynamic instability and ischemic events. Less frequent neurologic events such as delayed emergence, stroke, and prolonged regional blockade may also occur. Routine management of postoperative pain and postoperative nausea and vomiting also may be complex in some patients. An understanding of the presentation, pathophysiology, and risks associated with postanesthesia care unitrelated emergencies is crucial to developing an organized and logical initial and subsequent management strategy.