Anaesthesia for day-case surgery

With the current expansion of day surgery, many patients scheduled for elective surgery in British hospitals will receive their treatment on a day basis. Day-case anaesthesia exerts a profound effect on the success and feasibility of day-case surgery. Inpatient anaesthetic techniques are not always the most suitable in this area where even minor morbidity is important. This article examines the differences between inpatient and day-case anaesthesia, and makes a case for the increased recognition of the special requirements of the day-case patient.