A history of the PACU.

The specialized intense nursing care provided in the PACU is now well recognized as crucial to optimize outcomes for the patient undergoing modern anesthesia and surgical techniques. However, this fact has not always been recognized. Although anesthetic techniques have evolved since the mid-1800s, the widespread establishment of PACUs only began about 50 years ago, shortly after World War II. This article provides an historical review of the development of the PACU in the United States.