The care that a patient receives in the first hours after surgery is crucial to minimizing the risk of complications such as heart attacks, pneumonia, and blood clots. In spite of this, many hospitals still do not have formally organized recovery rooms. The Complete Recovery Room Book has established itself as the definitive guide on how to establish, equip, staff, and administer this acute care unit. The five years since completion of the previous edition have seen many changes in anaesthetic and surgical techniques, which, in some cases, enable patients to have their operation and be discharged, whether on the same day, or the day after their surgery. Pre-assessment clinics have reduced the incidence of unfit patients presenting for surgery, and this brings fewer unexpected problems to the recovery room. Significant advances from research into pain mechanisms have allowed a better understanding of analgesics and more efficient pain control. Alongside these improvements though, other dangers have emerged, such as the increased risk of diseases like HIV or hepatitis being transmitted, and just recently, latex allergy. The third edition of this book has been heavily revised in order to take account of all these changes and medical advances, though provides an essential, practical source of reference that should be read by all anaesthetists, surgeons, recovery room nurses, and anyone involved in providing postoperative care.