An Intervention Score (I/S) was designed: 1 = no interventions and discharged day of surgery; 2 = no interventions but overnight stay in hospital; 3 = minor interventions (O 2 therapy, airway manipulation or arti®cial airway) and discharged on day of surgery; 4 = minor interventions but stayed overnight; 5 = major interventions (IPPV, reintubation, cardiac arrest or ICU admission). The I/S was further collapsed into two categories; 1 and 2 = nil interventions and 3, 4 and 5 = interventions. Results The charts of 163 children were reviewed. Twenty-eight (17.2%) had an I/S of 1, 101 (62%) had an I/S of 2, 2 (1.2%) had an I/S of 3, 21 (12.9%) had an I/S of 4 and 11 (6.7%) had an I/S of 5. Children who required interventions (I/S ³ 3) had an SaO 2 nadir of 71 plus/minus 2 versus 85 0.8 (P = 0.00), an AHI of 28 6 vs. 9 1 (P = 0.00) and a desaturation index of 26 6 vs. 7 0.8 (P = 0.00). Conclusion The post operative respiratory complications occurred more commonly in children with lower SpO 2 nadir, a higher AHI and a higher desaturation index.

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