OUTPATIENT OPERATIONS IN A SURGICAL HOSPI TAL - ANALYSIS OF OUR PATIENTS TREATED BETWEEN 1978-1994

In the outpatient department of the University hospital of the Technol ogy University Dresden ambulatory surgery has been performed since 196 5. The patients of 16 years were analyzed. From 1978 till VI/1994 we h ave carried out 13948 elective operations. The personal wish of a coop erative patient without risk factors and an orderly social surrounding are the prerequisites for carrying out outpatient operations. Applied anaesthetic techniques were: general anaesthesia 9,2%, spinal anaesth esia 7,1%, sacral anaesthesia 14,8%, nerveblock of the upper extremity 11,1 and infiltration anaesthesia 57,8%. On the day of operation 61 p atients had to be admitted to the hospital because of intraoperative e vents, expansion of the operation and complications of anaesthesia. Be tween the first to eigth postoperative day 23 patients were hospitalis ed due to bleeding and 1 patient due to a wound infection. After asept ic elective operations 33 patients (0,35%) and after proctology operat ions with primary wound closure 10% of the patients developed wound in fections. The cooperation of the general practitioner must be ensured in the postoperative days. Outpatient operations lower the financal bu rden of the health insurance companies, medical care services can be r educed.