Multidisciplinary day surgery unit: seven years' experience.

The autonomous multidisciplinary day surgery unit is the gold standard for day surgery procedures. The Authors report their experience with the Pescina Hospital autonomous multidisciplinary day surgery unit (Avezzano Heath Authority, University of L'Aquila). In total, 4140 patients were enrolled to the day surgery setting from 2001 to 2007. Age, gender and ASA of patients, type of disease, surgery, anaesthesia and the usual day surgery activity quality indices (cancellation and delays of operations, postoperative pain and nausea or vomiting, postoperative morbidity, discharge and early readmission) were evaluated. 4046 patients underwent day surgery (orthopaedic 29.8%, general surgery 26.2%, ophthalmology 21.6%, vascular surgery 19.8%, miscellaneous 2.6%). Rates of cancelled and delayed operations were 2.3% and 2.4%, respectively. Local anaesthesia was performed in 54.3% of operations. None of the patients reported postoperative nausea and vomiting. Severe postoperative pain was present in 10% of cases. 77% of patients was discharged within four hours of surgery, and the others within six hours. Four patients (0.11%) were readmitted early. The postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 0.49% and 0%, respectively. None of the postoperative events correlated with gender, age, ASA, or type of surgery and anaesthesia. The multidisciplinary day surgery unit, with dedicated medical and nursing staff and suitable organisation such as ours is characterised by favourable surgery activity quality indices and good patient outcomes.