Patient eligibility for day case paediatric adenotonsillectomy

There is a growing trend towards day case surgery and departments are const antly under pressure from Health Trusts to perform more day case procedures . Adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy are being performed as day case procedure s in many centres and literature has suggested that it is safe to do so, pr ovided the population characteristics are favourable. A prospective study o f 100 consecutive patients presenting to our department for tonsillectomy o r adenotonsillectomy was undertaken to assess the eligibility of our patien t group for day surgery. Medical and social history was obtained as per rec ommended guidelines. Only 27% of our patients were eligible for day surgery and only 17% of parents preferred the option of day case adenotonsillectom y. There is a marked difference between our group and those previously repo rted in the literature. This regional variation has implications in the saf e expansion of day surgical procedures.