Analysis of the efficacy of pediatric day surgery

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of a pediatric day surgery pr ogram and its benefits to the child and family. Design: A review and analys is of prospectively gathered data. Setting: The Children's Hospital of East ern Ontario (CHEO), a university-affiliated pediatric centre with a referra l base of 2.5 million people. Patients: All children undergoing day surgery at CHEO during the 5 years between 1992 and 1997. Interventions: All surgi cal procedures performed on a day surgery basis. Main outcome measures: Pro cedures performed, complications and unexpected admissions. Results: An ave rage of 4899 children per pear underwent surgical procedures in the ambulat ory day surgery program. The 4 commonest procedures performed were myringot omy, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, dental procedures, and inguinal herni a repair. The majority of children were between 2 and 7 years of age. Compl ications were few, averaging 1.6% per year, with postoperative bleeding, pr imarily secondary to tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, being the most common . None resulted in permanent disability and there were no deaths. Conclusio ns: Pediatric dap surgery is a safe and cost-effective program that benefit s the child, the family and the pediatric surgical program.