Outpatient shoulder surgery: a prospective analysis of a perioperative protocol

During a 10-month period, 106 consecutive outpatient shoulder procedures were done in 102 patients who were followed up prospectively for a minimum of 6 months. The procedures included arthroscopic surgery alone (60%) and open surgeries with or without associated arthroscopy (40%). The anesthetic protocol included propofol and nitrous oxide, without scalene block augmentation, and local 0.5% bupivacaine. Patients were discharged with oral analgesics. Ninety-five percent of the patients successfully underwent their procedure as an outpatient; only 5% required admission on the day of surgery, and none required readmission. There were no short- or long-term postoperative complications attributable to the protocol. Ninety-six percent of the patients were satisfied with their pain management, and all patients were satisfied with their overall experience.