Day care and short stay surgery for hernia.

The duration of postoperative stay has been falling in recent years as more conditions are considered suitable for outpatient care. The introduction of short stay surgery not only relieves hospital waiting lists but also represents an economic advantage and has certain social benefits for the patient. The treatment of more patients as day cases reallocates the workload, putting increased responsibility on to outpatient clinics and general practitioner and community services. It also demands careful consideration of in-hospital operative and anaesthetic techniques to speed recovery and minimize complications.