Day surgery is a type of surgical intervention that is performed without the need for the patient to stay in hospital after their procedure. It is not necessary to stay overnight after surgery.
Although medical discharge occurs within a few hours of the procedure, day surgery is much more than just rapid discharge. It is an organised and well managed and coordinated set of processes that meet a specific demand. The main objectives are:
- Improve the quality of Outcomes from Surgery.
- Avoid complications associated with inpatient care ie infections, disorientation, mobility, healing etc.
- Reduce the risk of surgery by improving the accuracy of intervention.
- Diminish the need for unnecessary complicated General anaesthesia.
- Reduce the cost of surgery.
About the anaesthesia
Day surgery uses the latest advances in anaesthesia, taking into account new drugs and equipment. It is a very safe surgery with the appropriate admission criteria. Anaesthesia is usually adapted to the outpatient system, encouraging less invasive surgery and less recovery time. Not only the anaesthesia is adapted, but the entire surgical team, the times of the medications, the constant search for the least invasive surgery possible and with the best postoperative analgesia.
Who can be operated under this procedure?
Day surgery is usually very safe, it was demonstrated that the patient’s safety depends on a correct selection criteria and not on whether the patient is hospitalised. Thus, patients who generally meet these criteria: healthy individuals, body mass index less than 35 (that is, not being very obese), without uncontrolled respiratory or cardiological comorbidities. The risk of patients should be mild to moderate.
Advantages and disadvantages
If the pathology and preoperative findings allow it, performing day surgery has many advantages. The patient remains in the institution for 4 to 8 hours on average. A typical surgical patient enters the hospital half an hour before entering the operating room in an area called “preoperative.” Then you have approximately 1 hour in the operating room (depending on the procedure), and a usual recovery between 1 to 4 hours. The interruption in the patient’s life is minimal.
Post operative period
After the usual recovery, the patient is already mobilising, eating food, and is in minimal pain or discomfort, retiring to his home. According to what the medical professional stipulates, the patient will be asked after a few days to return to the institution to carry out the necessary controls and thus obtain the definitive discharge.
At the London Spine Unit, we have some of the best specialists to perform day surgery. Book an appointment to get a checkup.
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What is day surgery?
Day surgery is a type of surgical intervention that is performed without the need for the patient to stay in hospital after their procedure. It is not necessary to stay overnight after surgery.
What are the main objectives of day surgery?
The main objectives are improving the quality of outcomes from surgery, avoiding complications associated with inpatient care ie infections, disorientation, mobility, healing, etc, reducing the risk of surgery by improving the accuracy of intervention, reducing the need for unnecessary complicated general anaesthesia and reducing the cost of surgery.
Who is eligible for day surgery?
Day surgery is usually very safe, it was demonstrated that the patient's safety depends on a correct selection criteria and not on whether the patient is hospitalised. Thus, patients who generally meet these criteria: healthy individuals, body mass index less than 35 (that is, not being very obese), without uncontrolled respiratory or cardiological comorbidities. The risk of patients should be mild to moderate.