Report on post-operative elective ventilation in University Hospital , Kuala Lumpur 1970 – 1980

The practice of continuing ventilation into the post·operatlve period in certain poor risk patients resulted in a reduction in morbidity and mortality. So much more surgery can be performed on many patients which otherwise would not be justified without this back·up services provided by the intensive therapy unit. From 1970 - 80, 763 patients were electively ventilated following surgery (both elective and emergency) of which 115 died, giving a mortality incidence of 15.01%