The post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU), sometimes called recovery, is a special ward in the surgery complex. This is where patients stay during the initial period after surgery.
Closely monitored
There is a round-the-clock permanence of a multidisciplinary team consisting of specialised nurses, anaesthetists and physiotherapists. Together, they take care of patients who have just undergone surgery.
All patients are closely monitored until the immediate effects of anaesthetics disappear. Anaesthetic and surgical complications are detected and treated at an early stage. In addition, analgesia and general medical policies are fine-tuned.
Return to the nursing ward
Most patients can return to a regular nursing ward without any problems after a period of 1 to 2 hours, where they can continue their rehabilitation. Other patients sometimes remain in the PACU for up to 24 hours after their procedure. This is the case, for example, after major surgery or for patients who had many pre-existing conditions. A longer stay in the PACU can often prevent the patient from having to be admitted to intensive care.
Informing a loved one
Each admitted patient is given a personal privacy code. Only with that code can a family member or friend inquire about their loved one's condition by phone. We ask that the number of contacts be limited to one per patient.
The two PACUs at Ghent University Hospital can be reached by telephone every day from 8.30am to 5pm and from 7pm to 6.30am.
- PACU UZ 2 (entrance 12): tel. 09 332 63 01
- PACU UZ1 (entrance 50): tel. 09 332 66 87
- paza@uzgent.be