Summary
Day surgery is now recognised widely as being a vital component of modern healthcare delivery with overall day surgery rates in the UK now > 85%. Day surgery offers an enhanced experience for patients with reduced risk of postoperative complications (e.g. infections, cognitive impairment and venous thromboembolism); reduced utilisation of inpatient beds; decreased hospital expenditure; and reduced environmental impact. Day surgery shortens elective surgery waiting times and has a major role to play in overcoming the elective surgery backlog. Despite this, there is still wide variation in day surgery rates across the UK. There is a huge opportunity for continued improvement in the delivery of services though optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of day surgery.
Recommendations are made regarding the selection, pre-assessment and optimisation of patients having surgery; the impact of comorbidities (including frailty, obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea); surgical procedures (including urgent and emergency surgeries); logistical considerations; anaesthetic techniques; and discharge processes.
This pragmatic consensus statement aims to support healthcare providers and institutions with the organisational and clinical peri-operative management of anaesthesia for day surgery in both adults and children.