Continuous Postoperative Monitoring Reduces Duration of Oxygen Desaturation

WEDNESDAY, April 1, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Continuous monitoring after noncardiac surgery is associated with a significant reduction in the duration of oxygen saturation less than 90 percent, according to a study published online March 26 in JAMA Network Open.Ashish K. Khanna, M.D., from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and colleagues examined whether continuous unblinded monitoring of vital signs would decrease blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation abnormalities compared with intermittent monitoring in patients recovering from noncardiac surgery in a crossover randomized cluster trial in two postoperative hospital wards. One ward was randomized to an initial month of unblinded or clinician-blinded continuous vital sign monitoring and then alternated at four-week intervals for one year, and the other ward used the alternate monitoring approach. Of the 798 patients, 404 were assigned to continuous monitoring and 394 to intermittent monitoring.The researchers found that in continuously monitored patients, the duration of oxygen saturation less than 90 percent was reduced by approximately 30 minutes over 48 hours of monitoring time (70.8 versus 103.5 minutes; geometric means ratio, 0.86). No significant reductions were seen in hypotension or tachycardia durations. The groups had a similar number of interventions, with about half in each group receiving new oxygen therapy."This study provides an important push for the worldwide surgical and perioperative community," Khanna said in a statement. "Continuous wearable monitoring is no longer experimental. It's achievable, impactful, and ready for broader adoption."Two authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical and medical device industries.Abstract/Full Text

Continuous Postoperative Monitoring Reduces Duration of Oxygen Desaturation

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