Results of a major ambulatory oral surgery program using general inhalational anesthesia on disabled patients.

OBJECTIVES To assess the demographic characteristics and comorbidities of the group to be studied, as well as various quality indicators of a Major Ambulatory Surgery (MAS) program. Quantification of the surgical-anesthetic incidents. STUDY DESIGN We aimed to perform a retrospective and descriptive analysis of disabled patients who had received oral ambulatory surgery under general anesthesia. Data obtained from the clinical history and telephone interview included the demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, previous dental history, cause of the mental disability, degree of mental retardation, comorbidity measured according to the scale of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), anesthesia or preoperative surgical treatments, level of analgesia, length of stay, incidents in the Resuscitation Ward, the rate of substitution, suspensions, patients admitted, complications and the degree of patient satisfaction. RESULTS We included 112 oral surgery procedures performed on disabled patients who were treated under general inhalational anesthesia as part of MAS during the years 2006-2007. During this period, 577 restorations, 413 extractions, 179 sealants, 102 pulpectomies, 22 root canal treatments, 17 gingivectomies and 3 frenectomies were performed. A total of 75% (78 cases) of the patients had coexisting medical pathology. The average surgery time per patient was 72.69 +/- 29.78 minutes. The rate of replacement was 100%. The rate of suspension was 1.92%. The percentage of patients readmitted was 1.92%,due to significant bleeding in the mouth, which did not require treatment and the patients were discharged from hospital 24 hours after being admitted. The rate of patients who required re-hospitalization was 3.84%. CONCLUSIONS The MAS performed in this group, despite being on patients with high comorbidity resulted in only a low number of medical incidents reported.