Day case surgery

Abstract

Day surgery is defined as a planned investigation or procedure on a patient who is admitted and discharged home the same day. In the UK the concept of complete hospital care for the surgical patient during the course of an 8 hour period arose primarily out of the lack of adequate inpatient resources as well as from the rapid developments of surgical technique and anaesthesia. The Royal College of Surgeons took the initiative and set standards and published guidelines in their Guidelines for Day Case Surgery in 1985 and again in 1992. Day case surgery currently accounts for 50% of elective surgery in the UK and 60% or more in the USA and Canada(b). However in the USA day case surgery is termed ‘Ambulatory Surgery’ and includes patients who may spend up to 23 hours in hospital thus allowing a greater range of procedures to be included.