title: Choice of anaesthetic and healthcare facility for third molar surgery.
abstract: A prospective investigation was carried out to find out which factors affected the choice of anaesthetic for 444 consecutive patients (153 male, 291 female, age range 15-85) listed for extraction of third molars. Two hundred and seventy-two were listed for treatment under general anaesthesia, 120 (44%) as inpatients and 152 (60%) as day cases. The remaining 144 (32%) patients were to be treated under local anaesthesia and 28 (6%) with additional intravenous sedation. Logistic regression analysis showed that difficulty of surgery, patients' anxiety, patients' preferences, medical history, and number of teeth to be removed were important predictors of choice of anaesthetic. From an anaesthetist's perspective, many more patients should have been treated under local anaesthesia with intravenous sedation and fewer should have been listed for inpatient extraction under general anaesthesia.
authors.affiliation: University of Wales College of Medicine, Department of Oral Surgery, Pathology and Medicine, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Brickley
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horton
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Shepherd
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002755:Choice Behavior; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008347:Manifest Anxiety Scale; D008875:Middle Aged; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*