Post Operative Critical Care
Close monitoring in the hours after major surgery, when most avoidable complications either happen or are prevented.
Most serious complications after major surgery occur within the first 24 to 48 hours: bleeding, airway problems, cardiac events, and inadequately controlled pain leading to poor breathing and chest infection. Watching closely during that window prevents a great deal of harm.
Who benefits
- Patients after major abdominal, vascular or thoracic surgery
- Elderly patients and those with significant heart or lung disease
- Patients who lost substantial blood during the operation
- Emergency surgery, where there was no opportunity to optimise the patient beforehand
- Obstetric patients after major haemorrhage or severe pre eclampsia
- Any patient whose recovery from anaesthesia was not straightforward
What we do in that window
Continuous cardiac and respiratory monitoring, fluid balance and haemodynamic management, structured pain control with regular assessment, early detection of bleeding, prevention of clots, prevention of pressure damage, and early mobilisation as soon as it is safe.
Pain control deserves particular mention. Pain that is not controlled after abdominal or chest surgery stops patients breathing deeply and coughing, which is precisely how post operative pneumonia develops. Managing pain properly is a respiratory intervention as much as a comfort measure.
Common questions
Does going to intensive care after surgery mean something went wrong?
Frequently not. Many admissions are planned in advance as part of the surgical plan for a major operation or a higher risk patient. The surgeon will usually have discussed this before the operation.
How long is the stay?
Planned post operative admissions are often 24 to 48 hours, after which the patient moves to a general ward.
Who looks after your relative
Care in the unit is led by our consultant intensivist, with critical care nurses at the bedside continuously and specialist input from nephrology and anaesthesia where the case calls for it.
Dr Rita IrurheChief Executive Officer, SkyHigh Medical CentreMeet the team →What this costs
Cost depends on the level of support actually needed, so we quote rather than publish a rate card. Call the unit and you will be given the current figure, what would change it, and where your HMO cover stands, before treatment wherever the situation allows.
Costs and coverNext step
If you need a bed tonight, call. We will tell you straight away.
The unit is staffed at every hour. Referring clinicians should call before transferring a patient so availability can be confirmed and the team can be ready on arrival.