I'm an 82-year-old retired OR nurse who enjoyed your article, "Preventing Perioperative Complications in an Older Adult" (Nursing2004, November). I thought you might like to know that this elderly person who needed a mastectomy did quite well with surgery performed using procedural analgesia and sedation. The anesthetist agreed not to intubate me, just to give me oxygen by mask and a "sleep" med. It worked beautifully-no sore throat, no being on a respirator because of respiratory problems. Just a great awakening with no pain!!

-BARBARA MARTIN, RN (Ret.)

Lansing, Mich.