Unanticipated admissions following ambulatory surgery

The principal causes of unanticipated admission to the ambulatory surgery unit at Viladecans Hospital between October 1990 and January 1997 were analyzed. Of 7006 patients who underwent outpatient surgery in our facility, 108 were admitted (1.54%). The mean age was 38 years and 93.5% were American Society of Anesthesiologists’ (ASA) physical status classification I and II. The principal reasons for admission were surgical complications 42.5% (46); anaesthetic complications 15.7% (17); uncontrollable pain 13% (14); infections 8.3% (9); protracted vomiting 7.4% (8); and coexisting medical problems 6.4% (7). The percentage of admissions in our facility is comparable to that of other ambulatory surgery units. Haemorrhage and pain were the principal causes of admission, vomiting was not common, and we address the role of infection, which has been overlooked as a reason for admission in other published series, perhaps due to the fact that it occurs after discharge. © 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.