[Legal liability problems in outpatient operations. View from an anesthesiological perspective]

The rapid technical and medical progress in endoscopic and laparoscopic interventions and the increasing acceptance by patients, lead to an expansion of outpatient operations. The endoscopic laparoscopic operation technique, the operative implementation and the inclusion of an accompanying and a surveillance person in the postoperative phase conceal, however, specific dangers which the physician must recognize and remove. It is absolutely necessary that anesthetists pay attention to some basic principles concerning protection and safety of patients, considerations on the comfort of patients, quality measures and the resulting practical consequences. Particularly prone to liability problems are the postoperative phase and discharge of patients which will be demonstrated in some exemplary cases.