One year's experience in a new dental day-stay unit.
The records of six hundred and fifty-five patients treated in the Dental Day-Stay Unit over a twelve-month period were reviewed. 2.1% of 95 patients assessed as suitable for day-stay surgery, and 2.2% of 542 patients not assessed prior to anaesthesia were admitted postoperatively. As an index of outcome, 2.56% of 547 day cases were admitted postoperatively, 0.73% being attributable to anaesthesia. Forty-seven day patients were treated in the dental chair, and 108 were treated as inpatients. Over 37% had at least one concurrent medical problem, while 10.4% were mentally handicapped. Guidelines for day-care selection require that the procedure be straightforward, the patient medically fit, be discharged escorted, and live within a reasonable distance of the hospital. From our study, four specific patient groups are identified. These are: the young and healthy, the mentally handicapped, the medically compromised, and those with airway problems.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003631:Day Care, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000601:surgery*