[Current situation of anesthesiology and resuscitation in Spain. National Survey (II): surgical units]

We have studied the data from the surgical blocks of 170 hospitals. Hospitals have been classified in three groups according their size (less than 500 beds, from 500 to 1,000 beds and greater than 1,000 beds). A second criterium of classification was the distinction between public and private hospitals. The geographical distribution of the hospitals was our third criterium of classification. We report the results concerning the anaesthetic techniques applied, the availability of the human resources, the physical space and installations, the instrumental equipment, some of the surgical specialties developed in the hospitals, and the characteristics of their recovery rooms.