In Spain, ambulatory surgery (AS) is called major ambulatory surgery to emphasise that the focus is on procedures previously or still conducted in an in-patient setting with overnight stay, and that endoscopies and minor surgical excisions are excluded (these procedures were traditionally performed as office procedures). According to the guidelines on major ambulatory surgery produced by the Sp...

BACKGROUND Ambulatory surgery, including short-stay surgery, has become a common choice in clinical practice. For the success of ambulatory surgery, perioperative care with safe and effective anesthesia and postoperative analgesia, which can reduce the occurrence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), is essential. The effect of remifentanil on the occurrence and severity of PONV has not ...

The shift to ambulatory surgery has taken decades. The history and causation of the move are complex. Key enablers are recounted. The complex interchange of ideas, and physicians, between Belfast and Boston was important in the development of relevant facilitating standards. US and UK governmental and hospital statistics in the increase of ambulatory surgery are presented. The transition of sur...

The suitability of ambulatory surgery for a patient with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remains controversial because of concerns of increased perioperative complications including postdischarge death. Therefore, a Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia task force on practice guidelines developed a consensus statement for the selection of patients with OSA scheduled for ambulatory surgery. A systemat...

This review examines the effect of unanticipated admission, return hospital visits and readmission on the economics of ambulatory surgery. The overall rate of unanticipated admission was approximately 1% and the overall rate of readmission to hospital was approximately 1%. Ambulatory surgery allows total cost savings of 20-50% when compared with inpatient surgery. If 98% of ambulatory surgery p...

BACKGROUND Socialized health systems face fiscal constraints due to a limited supply of resources and few reliable ways to control patient demand. Some form of prioritization must occur as to what services to offer and which programs to fund. A data-driven approach to decision making that incorporates outcomes, including safety and quality, in the setting of fiscal prudence is required. A value...