[Ambulatory anesthesia in ORL. Indication, limits and techniques]

Patients undergoing ENT surgery, mainly children, are excellent candidates for outpatient anaesthesia. Most surgical procedures are simple and do not require complicated techniques. Patient selection criteria have been defined by the "Société Française d'Anesthésie et de Réanimation" e.g. ASA I or II patients, age > 50 weeks, ability to understand and follow specific instructions. Operation selection criteria ought to take into account the duration of surgery (< 1 h 30), and risks of bleeding, airway obstruction, pain, nausea and vomiting. Myringotomy and adenoidectomy and simple nasal or otologic surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis. Indications can be extended to other procedures that do not require hypotension and that meet selection criteria. Tonsillectomy and direct laryngoscopy could be performed on an outpatient basis in definite circumstances which have to be discussed for each patient.