VALUE OF ROUTINE PREOPERATIVE TESTS - A MULTICENTER STUDY IN 4 GENERAL HOSPITALS

We have assessed the value of routine preoperative tests in asymptomat ic patients and their influence on anaesthetic and surgical decisions. We studied 3131 ASA I and II patients from four general hospitals und ergoing elective surgical procedures. A retrospective review of the me dical records revealed that 853 (27%) patients had some abnormal test result, of which 465 (15%) were previously unknown and not suspected a t the preanaesthetic visit; these comprised 8.6% chest radiographs, 5. 6% electrocardiograms and biochemical tests, and 2.9% haematological t ests. Perioperative management was altered in only 0.56-0.26% of patie nts, depending on the particular test. The present study confirms the need for selective and rational ordering of preoperative tests, the ba sis of which should be the clinical assessment during the preanaesthet ic visit.