Day case adenoidectomy.
The Audit Commission recommends that more day surgery be undertaken in the Health Service. In a prospective study of 62 children undergoing adenoidectomy one major complication commenced within 2 hours of surgery. Of 15 minor complications, 78% occurred within 6 hours of surgery; they did not herald later major complications. Day adenoidectomy can safely be performed if patients remain in hospital for 6-8 hours post-operatively and then fulfil the following discharge criteria: they are apyrexial, eating, drinking and with no signs of haemorrhage. This will not result in a significant increase in workload for general practitioners. Day adenoidectomy for medically and socially appropriate patients increases our day surgery figures by 74% to 43% of the routine paediatric ENT caseload. There are immediate benefits to patients but the potential economic benefits to the Health Service will not be felt unless these children are treated in a designated Day Case Unit.
Leighton
S E
SE
Department of Otolaryngology, St George's Hospital, London, UK.
Rowe-Jones
J M
JM
Knight
J R
JR
Moore-Gillon
V L
VL
D000233:Adenoidectomy; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies