Anaesthesia 2019, 74, 778–792 doi:10.1111/anae.

14639

Guidelines

Guidelines for day-case surgery 2019

Guidelines from the Association of Anaesthetists and the British Association of Day
Surgery

C. R. Bailey,1 M. Ahuja,2 K. Bartholomew,3 S. Bew,4 L. Forbes,5 A. Lipp,6 J. Montgomery,7

K. Russon,8 O. Potparic9 and M. Stocker10

1 Consultant, Department of Anaesthesia, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London and Chair of Working
Party, Association of Anaesthetists
2 Consultant, Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust and elected member, British
Association of Day Surgery
3 Consultant, Department of Anaesthesia, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust and elected member,
Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland
4 Consultant, Department of Anaesthesia, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and elected member, Association of
Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland
5 Specialist Registrar, Department of Anaesthesia, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee and elected member, Trainee
Committee, Association of Anaesthetists
6 Consultant, Department of Anaesthesia, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and elected member, British
Association of Day Surgery
7 Consultant, Department of Anaesthesia, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and elected member, British
Association of Day Surgery
8 Consultant, Department of Anaesthesia, Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust and elected member, British Association of
Day Surgery
9 Associate Specialist, Department of Anaesthesia, Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust and SAS Committee,
Association of Anaesthetists
10 Consultant, Department of Anaesthesia, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and President, British
Association of Day Surgery

Summary
Guidelines are presented for the organisational and clinical management of anaesthesia for day-case surgery in
adults and children. The advice presented is based on previously published recommendations, clinical studies
and expert opinion.

.................................................................................................................................................................
Correspondence to: C. R. Bailey
Email: craig.bailey@gstt.nhs.uk
Accepted: 21 February 2019
This is a consensus document produced by expert members of a working party established by the Association of
Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland and the British Association of Day Surgery (BADS). It has been seen and
approved by the Association of Anaesthetist’s Board of Directors and the Council of BADS. It has been endorsed by the
Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (APAGBI) and the Royal College of Anaesthetists
(RCoA).
Twitter: @drcrbailey

.................................................................................................................................................................
Re-use of this article is permitted in accordance with the Creative Commons Deed, Attribution 2.5, which does not permit
commercial exploitation.

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Bailey et al. | Guidelines for day-case surgery 2019 Anaesthesia 2019, 74, 778–792

What other guidelines are available on Introduction

this topic? The definition of day surgery in Great Britain and Ireland is
Previous guidance was published by the Association of clear; the patient is admitted and discharged on the same
Anaesthetists in 2011 [1]. Guidance on day-case surgery has day, with day surgery as the intended management. The
also been published by the RCoA [2]. term ‘23-h stay’ should be avoided; this is used in the United
States healthcare system, but in the UK is counted as
Why were these guidelines developed? inpatient care and should not be confused with day surgery.
Since the previous guidelines were published, there Since the previous guideline was published in 2011 [1],
have been a number of changes in day surgery, the complexity of procedures continues to increase, with a
including an increase in the range of surgery performed wider range of patients now considered suitable for day
and the patient casemix. With the development of surgery. Despite these advances, the overall rates of day
enhanced recovery programmes, the short stay section surgery remain variable across the UK. The target that 75%
of the previous guidelines has been excluded from this of elective surgery should be performed as day cases
document. remains in place [3], but minimally invasive surgery is now
well established, allowing more procedures to be
How and why does this statement differ performed as day surgery and even greater rates should be
from existing guidelines? possible [4]. There was a major effort to promote day
The previous Association of Anaesthetists guidance has surgery at the start of the millennium [5] and recent drives to
been updated and input received from BADS, that includes reduce length of stay and improve the quality of
surgeons and lay people, as well as the APAGBI. postoperative recovery have ensured that day surgery
principles are fundamental to modern patient care.
Recommendations Shortened hospital stay and earlier mobilisation also
1 Thorough anaesthetist-led, nurse-delivered pre- reduces the risk of hospital-acquired infections and venous
anaesthetic assessment and preparation, as well as thromboembolism [6].
protocol-driven discharge, are fundamental to safe
and effective day surgery Recent reports
2 Fitness for a procedure should relate to the patient’s The NHS Modernisation Agency produced an operational
functional status rather than ASA physical status guide detailing the facilities available in, and the
3 It is possible to undertake most surgery in adults and management of, day surgery units [7]. This was refined in the
children as day cases ‘Ten High Impact Changes’ document in which the principle
4 All day surgery units should have a clinical lead whose of treating day surgery as the default option for elective
responsibilities include the development of local surgery was set out [5]. The NHS Institute for Innovation and
policies, guidelines and clinical governance Improvement has produced a document focusing on day
5 All anaesthetists should be familiar with techniques case laparoscopic cholecystectomy [8]. Although this
that permit the patient to undergo a procedure with document is specific to one procedure, many aspects of the
minimum stress and maximum comfort in order to ideal patient pathway are equally applicable to a wide range
enable early discharge, including regional nerve of day surgery procedures.
blocks and neuraxial blockade, such as spinal Effective pre-anaesthetic assessment and preparation
anaesthesia with protocol-driven nurse-led discharge are fundamental
6 All members of the multidisciplinary team should be to safe and effective day surgery. Several publications
trained in day surgery practice provide useful advice on establishing and running a service
7 High-quality, age-appropriate advice leaflets, [9–13].
assessment forms and protocols for specific The British Association of Day Surgery has produced a
procedures should be in place directory of procedures that provides targets for day
8 Day surgery should take place within a dedicated unit surgery rates covering many different procedures [14].
or area within the main hospital site These procedure-specific targets serve as a focus for
9 Quality assurance and improvement programmes are clinicians and managers in the planning and provision of
an essential component of good care in all aspects of elective day surgery and illustrate the high quality of service
day surgery achievable in appropriate circumstances.

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In 2016, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges care to support activities of daily living for longer than
produced a series of recommendations for clinicians and someone who has undergone a hysteroscopy. It is essential
patients entitled ‘Choosing Wisely’ [15]. The top that, following procedures under general or regional
recommendation for clinicians was that day surgery should anaesthesia, a responsible adult should escort the patient
be considered the default for most surgical procedures. home; however, it may not always be essential for a carer to
Variation in the use of day surgery for specific operations remain for the full 24-h period. Various models have been
should be measured and this information made available to evaluated [18, 19], including a virtual ward system where
all interested parties. For patients, the following patients are discharged without overnight home care but
recommendation was given ‘If you are having a surgical followed up by telephone for the first 24 h, placing carers
procedure, day surgery should be considered and is into patients’ homes overnight or discharging selected
suitable in many cases. Day surgery allows for a quicker groups of patients home without overnight care.
recovery with less disruption to you and your family life and
also cuts the risk of hospital acquired infections. Evidence Medical factors
suggests that if day surgery was performed for 20 common Fitness for a procedure should relate to the patient’s
procedures, an additional 186,000 patients could be treated functional status as determined at pre-anaesthetic
each year without increased expenditure’. This view was also assessment, and not by ASA physical status, age or body
supported by the King’s Fund: ‘The rising proportion of mass index [20–22]. Patients with a stable chronic disease
operations carried out as day cases over the past few such as diabetes are often better managed as day cases
decades has been good for patients and a much more because there is minimal disruption to their daily routine
efficient use of NHS resources’ [16]. [23]. The only patients routinely not included in day surgery
are those with unstable medical conditions. In these
Selection of patients circumstances, the question should be asked as to whether
Patients may be referred for day surgery from outpatient it is safe to go ahead with the procedure or whether it should
clinics, emergency departments or primary care. Advances be delayed until the patient’s condition has been optimised.
in surgical and anaesthetic techniques, as well as published Once optimised, it may be appropriate to proceed as a day
evidence of successful outcomes in patients with multiple case. If surgery is required before the patient’s condition
comorbidities, have changed the emphasis on day surgery can be optimised due to urgency (e.g. malignancy), then
patient selection. It is now accepted that the majority of they may require inpatient admission.
patients are appropriate for day surgery unless there is a Obesity itself is not a contraindication to day surgery, as
valid reason why an overnight stay would be beneficial. If morbidly obese patients can be safely managed by experts,
inpatient surgery is being considered it is important to provided appropriate resources are available. This includes
question whether any strategies could be employed to factoring in additional time for anaesthesia and surgery as
enable the patient to be treated as a day case. well as the presence of skilled assistants and equipment.
It is recommended that a multidisciplinary approach, The incidence of complications during the operation or in
with agreed protocols for patient assessment, including the early recovery phase is greater in patients with
inclusion and exclusion criteria for day surgery, should be increasing body mass index. However, these problems
agreed locally between surgeons and the anaesthetic would still occur with inpatient care and have usually
department. Patient assessment for day surgery falls into resolved or been successfully treated by the time a day-case
three main categories: social, medical and surgical. patient would be discharged. In addition, obese patients
benefit from short-duration anaesthetic techniques and
Social factors early mobilisation associated with day surgery [24, 25].
The patient must understand the planned procedure and Prolonged deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis should be
postoperative care and give informed consent to day considered [26].
surgery. Traditional criteria for day surgery discharge Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is not an absolute
included the presence of a carer for 24 h postoperatively. contraindication to day surgery. Adults with a history of OSA
This is now being re-evaluated [17] and it is recognised that or those identified at risk using ‘STOP-Bang’ scoring should
for some minor procedures 24-h care postoperatively may be identified at pre-anaesthetic assessment. Avoidance of
be an excessive requirement, whereas for complex surgery postoperative opioid medication in these patients is
it may be insufficient. For example, a patient who has advised. The optimal technique, if possible, is regional
undergone a hysterectomy as a day case is likely to require anaesthesia. The Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia issued

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Bailey et al. | Guidelines for day-case surgery 2019 Anaesthesia 2019, 74, 778–792

a consensus statement on pre-operative selection of adult assessments may be appropriate for some patients.
patients with OSA scheduled for ambulatory surgery: Whichever setting is used, the process should be
‘patients with a presumed diagnosis of OSA, based on carried out by a member of the multidisciplinary team
screening tools such as the STOP-Bang questionnaire, and trained in pre-anaesthetic assessment for day surgery.
with optimised comorbid conditions can be considered for The process should follow a clear protocol, in
ambulatory surgery, if postoperative pain can be managed agreement with the team providing anaesthesia, surgery
predominantly with non-opioid analgesic techniques’ [27]. and nursing care. It should identify any problems
Patients who use nasal CPAP (continuous positive airways requiring management or optimisation before surgery
pressure) at home should be encouraged to bring their and follow national or locally agreed guidelines.
devices into hospital with them and an individualised Consultant-led and nurse-run clinics have proved very
decision made as to whether it is appropriate for them to be successful. One-stop clinics, where pre-anaesthetic
discharged on the same day. preparation occurs on the same day as the decision for
surgery, offer significant advantages to both patients (by
Surgical factors avoiding an additional visit to hospital) and the hospital
The procedure should not carry a significant risk of serious through ensuring that patients are prepared for surgery as
postoperative complications requiring immediate medical early as possible in their care pathway, thereby allowing
attention, for example, haemorrhage or cardiovascular maximum time for optimisation, if required.
instability. Postoperative symptoms (such as pain and Screening questionnaires, in conjunction with agreed
nausea) must be controllable by the use of a combination of protocols, can offer guidance on appropriate pre-operative
oral medication and local anaesthetic techniques. investigations. Although the National Institute for Health
The procedure should not prohibit the patient from and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on pre-operative
resuming oral intake within a few hours of the end of investigations is widely used [29], one study showed no
surgery. Patients should be able to mobilise before difference in the outcomes of day surgery patients when all
discharge, for example, walking with an arm in plaster, but if pre-operative investigations were omitted [30]. However,
full mobilisation is not possible, appropriate venous screening for hypertension [31], anaemia [32] and an initial
thromboembolism prophylaxis should be instituted and risk assessment for venous thromboembolism [26] should
maintained. be undertaken in order to guide management according to
local protocols.
Pre-operative preparation Most patients can be assessed and prepared for
Pre-operative preparation has three essential components: surgery in nurse-run pre-anaesthetic clinics. Consultant
anaesthetic pre-operative preparation clinics improve
1 To educate patients and carers regarding day surgery
efficiency by enabling early review of the notes only in
pathways
complex cases, ensuring appropriate investigations are
2 To impart information regarding planned procedures
performed and that patients are referred for a specialist
and postoperative care to help patients make informed
opinion, if necessary.
decisions; important information should be provided
in writing
Day surgery for urgent procedures
3 To identify medical risk factors, promote health and
Patients presenting with acute conditions requiring
optimise the patient’s condition
urgent surgery can be efficiently and effectively treated
Preparation may be undertaken in a variety of as day cases via a semi-elective pathway [33]. After
settings. In order to achieve the three aims, best initial assessment, many patients can be discharged
practice is for it to be undertaken by expert day home and return for surgery at an appropriate time,
surgery assessment staff within a self-contained day either on a day-case list or as a scheduled patient on an
surgery facility. This allows patients and their relatives operating list, whereas others can be immediately
the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the transferred to the day surgery service. This reduces the
environment and to meet staff who will provide their likelihood of repeated postponement of surgery due to
peri-operative care and who are well placed to educate prioritisation of other cases. A robust day surgery
the patient regarding the day surgery pathway [28]. process is key to the success of this service. Some of
However, other settings such as primary care or secure the procedures successfully managed in this manner are
(general data protection regulation compliant) online shown in Table 1 [34–36].

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Table 1 Types of urgent surgery suitable for day case procedures.

General surgery Gynaecology Trauma Maxillofacial
Incision and drainage of abscess Evacuation of retained products Tendon repair MUA fractured nose
of conception
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy Laparoscopic ectopic pregnancy MUA of fracture Repair of fractured mandible
Laparoscopic appendicectomy Plating of fractured bone
Temporal artery biopsy

MUA, manipulation under anaesthesia.

Essential components of an emergency day surgery may be used for more complex and challenging cases
pathway are: [38]. Care plans are also useful for quality assurance and
evaluating outcomes.
1 Identification of appropriate procedures
2 Identification of a theatre list that can reliably
Management and staffing
accommodate the procedure (e.g. a dedicated day
All day surgery units should have a clinical lead with a
surgery list or a flexibly run emergency theatre list)
specific interest in day surgery whose responsibilities
3 Ensuring clear pathways are in place
include the development of local policies, guidelines and
4 Determining whether the condition is safe to be left
clinical governance. A consultant anaesthetist with
untreated for up to 24 h and manageable at home with
management experience is ideally suited to such a role, and
oral analgesia
job plans should reflect this responsibility [4]. Day surgery
5 Providing clear pre-operative patient information,
should ideally be represented at Board level [5] and issues
ideally in writing
that arise should be escalated to senior management where
necessary.
Documentation The clinical lead should be supported by a day surgery
Patients should be provided with general, as well as unit manager who has responsibility for the day-to-day
procedure-specific, information. This should be given in running of the service. The manager will often have a
advance of admission in order to allow the patient time to nursing background and should have the knowledge and
absorb the information before their day-case surgery. skills in order to make informed decisions and lead on all
Verbal comments should be reinforced with written aspects of day surgery development.
material. Generic information should include practical Nurses, anaesthetic assistants and other ancillary
details about attending the day surgery unit, whereas staff levels will depend on the design of the facility,
procedure-specific information should include clinical case mix, work-load, local preferences and the
information about the patient’s condition and the proposed individual unit’s ability to conform to national
surgical procedure. The anaesthetic information leaflets guidelines. Staff should be specifically trained in day
developed jointly between the Association of Anaesthetists surgery care. Many units favour multiskilled staff who
and the RCoA are a useful resource [37]. have the knowledge and ability to work within several
Detailed documentation is important within the day different areas of the day surgery unit. Efficient use of
surgery environment because the patient’s experience is resources is best achieved by a well-trained, flexible
often condensed into a few hours. All aspects of treatment and multiskilled workforce [39].
and care should be recorded accurately in order to ensure Extended roles facilitate job satisfaction and encourage
that each patient follows an effective and safe pathway. personal development and staff retention. Many healthcare
The documentation should be a continuum from pre- assistants in the day surgery unit are now, under supervision,
operative preparation to discharge and subsequent able to perform duties traditionally only undertaken by
follow-up. Individual care plans and electronic patient qualified nurses [40, 41]. Individual units should formulate a
records reflecting a multidisciplinary approach are staffing structure that takes into consideration local needs.
favoured in many units. Variations for specific groups, Each unit should have a multidisciplinary operational
including children and patients undergoing procedures group that oversees the day-to-day running of the unit,
under local anaesthesia, should be available. Procedure- agrees policies and timetables, reviews operational issues
specific care plans reflecting integrated care pathways and organises quality assurance strategies.

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Bailey et al. | Guidelines for day-case surgery 2019 Anaesthesia 2019, 74, 778–792

Facilities Admission process

Day surgery works best when it is provided in a self- Patients should be admitted to the day surgery unit as close
contained unit that is functionally and structurally separate as possible to the time of their surgery. Full staggering of
from inpatient wards and operating theatres. It should have patient admission times may result in inefficient processes
its own reception, consulting rooms, ward, theatres and due to the need for medical staff to review patients pre-
recovery area, together with administrative facilities. Typical operatively, but grouping patients into two morning and
day surgery unit opening hours are 07:00–20:00 h Monday two afternoon admission times, such as 07:00 h, 10:00 h,
to Friday, but with the increasing complexity of surgery 12:00 h and 15:00 h enables theatre lists to run smoothly
many units now open until 22:00 h. Some units provide a while minimising delays and disruption for patients. Ideally
6- or 7-day service. a second anaesthetist should be provided in order to
The operating theatre and first-stage recovery areas support two or three lists and enable the anaesthetist
should be equipped and staffed to the same standards as allocated to each list to see patients as they are admitted.
an inpatient facility, with the exception of the use of trolleys Fasting times should be kept to a minimum. Recent
rather than beds. Several patients per day can occupy the European guidelines on peri-operative fasting (endorsed by
same trolley space, providing a streamlined turnaround the Association of Anaesthetists) [43] state that adults
time. The day surgery unit should have no capacity to accept should be encouraged to drink clear fluids up to 2 h before
overnight admissions. Clear agreements should be in place elective surgery and all but one member of the guidelines
to ensure it is not used for emergency inpatient care. Units group considered that tea or coffee with milk added (up to
which have introduced overnight beds into their day unit about one-fifth of the total volume) are still considered clear
have found they are regularly occupied by emergency fluids. Solid food should be prohibited for 6 h before
patients, resulting in the disruption of the following day’s elective surgery in adults and children, although surgery
activity, reduced standards of care and staff demoralisation should not necessarily be cancelled or delayed just because
[42]. The introduction of short stay beds for elective surgery they are chewing gum, sucking a boiled sweet or smoking
into a day surgery unit can also jeopardise outcomes for day immediately before induction of anaesthesia.
surgery patients by making it relatively easy for a patient to Pre-operatively, patients should be allowed to stay in
be admitted to one of these beds overnight, hence the drive their ‘street clothes’ for as long as possible in order to
to facilitate same day discharge may be compromised. Car maintain dignity, warmth and comfort. At a suitable time,
parking or short stay drop-off and pick-up areas should be they should change into theatre gowns and wait in a single
provided adjacent to the unit. sex area. They should walk to theatre and ideally transfer
An alternative to a purpose-built unit is the use of a day- themselves onto the operating trolley in the anaesthetic
case ward, with patients transferred to the main operating room. They can remain on this trolley throughout their day
theatre. This model may allow a more straightforward surgery pathway until ready for transfer to a chair in the
change when transitioning from day case to overnight stay postoperative ward.
for complex procedures, as there is little impact on theatre
equipment or staffing. However, day case beds dispersed Anaesthetic management
around many wards do not achieve the same efficiencies, Day surgery anaesthesia should be a consultant-led service.
nor do they provide the targeted service that is required to However, as day surgery becomes the norm for elective
achieve good outcomes. surgery, consideration should be given to the education of
Many hospitals provide care for day surgery patients trainees as recommended by the RCoA. This requires
who require anaesthesia in specialised units, for example, appropriate training and provision of senior cover,
ophthalmology or dentistry. It may not be possible or especially in stand-alone units. Staff grade and associate
appropriate to centralise these services; however, all such specialist anaesthetists who have an interest in day surgery
patients should receive the same high standards of selection, should be encouraged to develop this as a specialist
preparation, peri-operative care, discharge and follow-up as interest and take an important role in the management of
those attending dedicated day surgery facilities. the unit.
Facilities should ensure the maintenance of a patient’s National guidelines for patient monitoring and
privacy and dignity at all times. Side rooms are particularly assistance for the anaesthetist should be followed [44, 45].
useful when caring for patients requiring an increased level Anaesthetic techniques should ensure minimum stress and
of sensitivity, such as those with special needs. maximum comfort for the patient and should take into

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consideration the risks and benefits of the individual motor blockade. Restricting i.v. fluids to no more than
technique. Analgesia is paramount and must be long acting, 500 ml should reduce the incidence of urinary retention.
but, as morbidity such as nausea and vomiting must be Patients should be encouraged to drink postoperatively in
minimised, the indiscriminate use of opioids is discouraged order to allow their own body to correct fluid balance.
(particularly morphine). Prophylactic oral analgesia with Concerns regarding post-dural puncture headache have
long-acting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) previously limited the use of spinal anaesthesia in day
should be given to all patients, unless contraindicated. For surgery patients, but the use of smaller gauge (25 G) and
certain procedures (e.g. laparoscopic cholecystectomy), pencil-point needles has reduced the incidence to < 1%.
there is evidence that standardised anaesthetic protocols or Information on post-dural puncture headache and what to
techniques improve outcome [8]. Anaesthetists should do if this occurs should be included in the patient’s
adhere to such clinical guidelines where they exist. discharge instructions. An analgesic plan for patients
Although early mobilisation is beneficial, extending the having spinal or regional anaesthesia is required, otherwise
range and complexity of day surgery procedures may the patient may experience significant pain when the block
increase the risk of venous thromboembolism. National wears off [50]. This should include, unless contraindicated,
guidelines for venous thromboembolism risk assessment and premedication with oral analgesics, in addition to
prophylaxis should be followed. There should be policies for postoperative oral analgesics with written instructions
the management of postoperative nausea and vomiting regarding when to take them. Sedation is seldom required
(PONV) and discharge analgesia. Prophylactic anti-emetics and, in arthroscopic procedures for example, the patient
are recommended in patients with a history of PONV, motion may wish to observe the procedure and the surgeon can
sickness and those undergoing certain procedures such as explain the findings at the time.
laparoscopic sterilisation/cholecystectomy or tonsillectomy. Nursing staff should follow strict criteria to enable safe
Routine use of intravenous (i.v.) fluids and maintenance of mobilisation after spinal anaesthesia. These include return
body temperature can enhance the patient’s feeling of well- of sensation to the peri-anal area (S4–5), plantar flexion of
being and further reduce PONV [46]. the foot at pre-operative levels of strength and return of
proprioception in the big toe. This may be affected by any
Regional anaesthesia supplementary local anaesthetic infiltration or regional
Local infiltration and nerve blocks can provide excellent anaesthesia used to provide longer acting anaesthesia at
anaesthesia and pain relief after day surgery. Patients may the operative site. Further information on the use of spinal
safely be discharged home with residual motor or sensory anaesthesia in day surgery and examples of patient
blockade, provided the limb is protected and appropriate information leaflets can be found on the BADS website
support is available for the patient at home. The expected (www.bads.co.uk).
duration of the blockade should be explained and the
patient should receive written instructions as to their Postoperative recovery and discharge
conduct until normal power and sensation return. Infusions Recovery from anaesthesia and surgery can be divided into
of local anaesthetics may also have a role [47, 48]. The use of three phases:
ultrasound guidance continues to expand the role of First-stage recovery lasts until the patient is awake,
regional anaesthesia in day surgery, enabling more protective airway reflexes have returned and pain is
accurate local anaesthetic placement, reducing the total controlled. This should be undertaken in a recovery area
dose administered and supporting the development of with appropriate facilities and staffing [39]. Use of modern
regional anaesthetic operating lists. Use of a ‘block room’ drugs and techniques may allow early recovery to be
improves efficiency and allows confirmation of adequate complete by the time the patient leaves the operating
nerve blockade before surgery commences. theatre, and some patients can bypass the first stage. Most
Spinal anaesthesia has become accepted for use in patients who undergo surgery with a local or regional
day surgery with the introduction of low-dose local anaesthetic block can be fast-tracked in this manner.
anaesthetic techniques and newer shorter acting local Second-stage recovery is from when the patient steps
anaesthetics such as hyperbaric prilocaine 2% and 2- off the trolley and ends when the patient is ready for
chloroprocaine [49]. Appropriate spinal anaesthetic dosing discharge from hospital. This should take place in an area
targeted to surgical site, for example, lateral for a unilateral adjacent to the day surgery theatre and should be equipped
knee arthroscopy or sitting for peri-anal procedures, can and staffed to deal with common postoperative problems
minimise side-effects such as hypotension and prolonged (e.g. PONV, pain) as well as emergencies (haemorrhage,

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Bailey et al. | Guidelines for day-case surgery 2019 Anaesthesia 2019, 74, 778–792

cardiovascular events). The anaesthetist and surgeon All patients should be discharged with instructions as
should be contactable to deal with problems. Nurse-led to appropriate analgesia usage. Patients can be
discharge using agreed protocols should be the standard encouraged to purchase over the counter analgesics in
pathway. Voiding is also not always required, although it is order to reduce costs, although some units will provide
important to identify patients who are at particular risk of pre-packaged take-home medications as they are
developing later problems, such as those who have convenient and prevent delays and unnecessary visits to
experienced prolonged instrumentation or manipulation of the hospital pharmacy. Analgesic protocols (Appendix 1
the bladder. Protocols may be adapted to allow low-risk and 2) specific to day surgery can be agreed with the
patients to be discharged without fulfilling traditional pharmacy department.
criteria. Mild postoperative confusion in the elderly after
surgery is common. This is usually insignificant and should Discharge summary
not influence discharge provided social circumstances It is essential to inform the patient’s general practitioner
permit; in fact, the avoidance of hospitalisation after minor promptly of the type of anaesthetic given, the surgical
surgery is preferred [51]. Patients and their carers should be procedure performed and the postoperative instructions
provided with written information that includes warning given. Patients should be given a copy of their discharge
signs of possible complications and when to seek help. summary in order to have it available should they require
Protocols should exist for the management of patients who medical assistance.
require unscheduled admission, especially in a stand-alone Day surgery units should agree with their local primary
unit. care teams how support is to be provided for patients in the
Late recovery ends when the patient has made a full event of postoperative complications. Best practice is a
physiological and psychological recovery from the helpline for at least the first 24 h after discharge, and to
procedure. This may take several weeks or months and is arrange telephone follow-up the next day. Such follow-up is
beyond the scope of these guidelines. highly valued by patients, provides support should any
immediate complications arise, and is useful for auditing
Postoperative instructions and discharge postoperative symptoms, patient satisfaction and other
On discharge, all patients should receive verbal and written quality assurance issues.
instructions and be warned of any symptoms that might be
experienced. Wherever possible, these instructions should Day surgery for children
be given in the presence of the responsible person who is to Day surgery is optimal for most children and standards of
escort the patient home. care are described in the ‘Guidelines for the Provision of
Advice should be given not to drink alcohol, operate Paediatric Anaesthesia Services 2017’, Chapter 10 [54].
machinery or drive for 24 h after a general anaesthetic Many children require day-stay anaesthesia for non-surgical
[52]. More importantly, patients should not drive until the procedures such as imaging, endoscopy, laser treatment to
pain or immobility from their operation allows them to skin lesions, radiotherapy and oncology investigations and
control their car safely and perform an emergency stop. treatments. These children should have the same standards
Procedure-specific recommendations regarding driving of care as those having surgical procedures.
should be made available. Recent guidance for driving Wherever possible, children should be managed on
following isoflurane anaesthesia recommends refraining dedicated lists separate from adults, or prioritised as a
from driving for four days after its use. This would cohort to have their procedures at the start of the list and
suggest that longer acting agents such as isoflurane may separated from adults in the recovery area and on the ward.
be best avoided within day surgery, reinforcing the Teenagers and young people have specific psychosocial
guidance that careful selection of short-acting agents and emotional needs, and consideration needs to be given
which are free from sedative side-effects and hangover as to where care is best provided for each individual.
are key to the delivery of high-quality day surgery
anaesthetic outcomes. Driving restrictions regarding Patient selection
opioid-based medications state that patients can drive All hospitals should have guidelines on the lower age limit
after taking these drugs only if they have been and medical comorbidities of children they will accept for
prescribed them by a healthcare professional, they do day surgery. This should reflect the available facilities and
not cause them to be unfit to drive and they follow the equipment, as well as the training and experience of their
advice given on how to take them [53]. staff.

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District General Hospitals deliver day surgery for a large children and parents. It is also an opportunity to identify the
number of children and can provide a high-quality service particularly anxious child and to develop a plan for the day
close to home for otherwise healthy children having simple of surgery. Play specialists and experienced nurses can help
procedures. Day surgery in a local hospital is also possible with psychological preparation and hence avoid distress in
for children with chronic stable disease provided the the anaesthetic room and refusal on the day.
necessary expertise, infrastructure and support are in place. Parents can be signposted to sources of information
The BADS directory of procedures [14] includes a list of which include leaflets and, in many cases, hospital-specific
paediatric procedures although, as in adults, the range of web-based information. Up-to-date sources of information
procedures performed as day cases is constantly evolving. for parents and children can be found on the RCoA and
There are few absolute contraindications to day surgery in APAGBI websites (www.rcoa.ac.uk, www.apagbi.org.uk).
children [55]. These include ‘Your Child’s General Anaesthetic’, for
Tertiary paediatric centres are performing increasingly parents, and a range of age-appropriate information for
complex procedures as day cases. Most children, even children and young people. Parents need to know who to
those with complex comorbidities, can have safe day care if contact if their child becomes unwell before the day of
pre-operative assessment is robust and care is surgery. This can prevent late cancellations, avoiding the
individualised and delivered by experienced staff in waste of theatre resources and unnecessary trips to hospital
appropriate facilities. Many tertiary centres adopt a lower with a child who is not fit for the procedure and may be an
age limit of 44 weeks ‘post-menstrual age’ (defined as infection risk.
gestational age plus chronological age) for minor Pre-anaesthetic assessment is also an opportunity to
procedures in otherwise well, term, neonates. Ex-premature establish who has parental responsibility and to ensure
infants (those born at less than 37 weeks gestational age) that appropriate consent procedures are followed. Written
are a complex heterogeneous group requiring careful consent for the procedure may already have been
individual assessment, and are not usually accepted for day obtained in the outpatient setting, but a discussion
surgery < 60 weeks postmenstrual age. regarding anaesthesia should also take place with the
Children with OSA presenting for tonsillectomy/ parent. The pre-operative visit is a good opportunity to
adenoidectomy also need careful assessment. A consensus discuss common complications and side-effects of
statement [56] advises which children are suitable for anaesthesia. Different issues need to be emphasised
District General Hospital care. Children with severe OSA according to the age of the child. For babies and young
should usually be managed in a tertiary centre and are not children, there is likely to be a discussion regarding the
suitable for day surgery due to the high risk of postoperative options for gaseous or i.v. induction and which is most
complications [57]. suitable for their child. There should be an explanation of
The home environment, distance from the hospital, what to expect in the anaesthetic room, and how parents
parents’ (parent here and throughout this section refers to can best support their child. Parental concerns about risks
parent, guardian or carer) access to transport and a of anaesthesia in the young child should be addressed
telephone, need to be considered. Parents must be able to [58].
understand instructions, recognise complications that Teenagers often have particular concerns related to
would require a return to hospital (e.g. post-tonsillectomy loss of control, awareness or not waking up, and may not
bleeding) and have a supply of suitable analgesics in order readily voice these anxieties. Venous thrombo embolism
to manage their child’s pain at home. prophylaxis should be considered [59]. For female patients
aged 12 and older, pregnancy status should be ascertained
Pre-operative assessment on the day of surgery, and departments should have a policy
Most children are healthy and pre-operative assessment is for pregnancy testing and documentation in line with the
less about medical screening and more about preparation Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 2012
of the child and family for the procedure on the day and care guidance for clinicians [60].
at home after discharge. However, for some children, there Emergence delirium is more common in young
are important medical issues which require careful children after short procedures, is distressing for parents
consideration and pre-operative investigations such as and staff, and impairs the quality of recovery. Anaesthetic
haemoglobin levels and sickledex tests. techniques should be modified to minimise the risk of
Robust pre-operative assessment minimises emergence delirium in susceptible children in order to
cancellations on the day and delivers clear information for facilitate smooth recovery and discharge [61, 62].

786 © 2019 The Authors. Anaesthesia published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association of Anaesthetists.
Bailey et al. | Guidelines for day-case surgery 2019 Anaesthesia 2019, 74, 778–792

Although most children recover quickly from shown in Table 2. A robust database is helpful; however, the
anaesthesia, delivery of a high-quality service requires best databases fail to effect change unless the information is
careful planning and the employment of specific strategies. clearly displayed and freely disseminated to everyone,
For example, many centres are introducing policies to particularly key individuals empowered to influence
reduce prolonged fasting. A consensus statement has been change.
published from the APAGBI, the European Society for
Paediatric Anaesthesiology and L’Association Des
Older patients
Anesthesistes-Reanimatuers Pediatriques d’Expression
Older patients are increasingly being listed for day-case
Francais on updated fluid fasting guidelines for children
surgery. Patients with advanced chronological age can
before elective general anaesthesia. These include
safely be operated on in the day surgery environment. It is
adopting a 1-h rule for clear fluids and encouraging children
increasingly appreciated that admission to hospital for
to drink until shortly before surgery [63]. Techniques to
elderly patients can trigger confusion resulting from
minimise the incidence of PONV, particularly for high-risk
disorientation and disruption of their usual routine. Day
surgery such as squint and tonsillectomy procedures,
surgery is hence usually the optimal pathway for these
should be employed. These include considering the
patients and is associated with no increase in adverse
necessity for, and dosing of, opioids, as well as the choice of
outcomes when compared with the younger population.
specific anti-emetics which are suitable and effective in
However, it must be remembered that older patients are
children [64]. With the increase in day surgery, much of the
less likely to admit to feeling unwell, uncomfortable or
responsibility for postoperative pain management falls to
distressed. They are often already partially dehydrated even
the parent, although some may not feel well informed or
before the period of fasting required before surgery and
confident enough to manage their child’s pain. Although
may be prone to hypoglycaemia. The multidisciplinary team
pain after many day case procedures is easily managed,
should be aware of the needs and behaviours of older
there are a number of common procedures, including
patients in order to provide appropriate care, achieve
tonsillectomy and orchidopexy, which can cause significant
positive outcomes and reduce the risk of overnight
pain for up to 2 weeks postoperatively. Parents need clear
admission.
verbal and written advice about pain assessment and
management as well as easy access to telephone support.
Initial advice should be given at pre-anaesthetic Teaching and training
assessment, with further specific information on the day of It is essential that training is provided in day-case
surgery. The importance of appropriate dosage regimens anaesthesia. It is a core module in all three stages of
(based on age and weight) and different analgesics such as anaesthetic training – basic [67], intermediate [68] and
paracetamol, NSAIDs and, where appropriate, oral opioids, higher [69] – and can be selected as an advanced training
should be emphasised to parents, so that they are confident module [70] with the expectation that the trainee
in managing their child’s pain at home. demonstrates maturation during each level of progression.
The RCoA recommends that training in day surgery is
Quality improvement delivered as part of core general duties and not only
Effective audit is an essential component of assessing, involves learning appropriate anaesthetic techniques, but
monitoring and maintaining the efficiency and quality of encompasses the entire day surgery process. This should
patient care in day surgery units. There should be routine include: teaching on patient selection; effective analgesic
collection of data regarding patient throughput and regimens; PONV; requirements for safe discharge; and the
outcomes. There have been a variety of tools developed to management of patients following discharge. There
determine patient outcomes. The most successful units should also be emphasis on educating trainees about the
collect data electronically at all stages of the day surgery necessity for providing a multidisciplinary service for day-
process. The RCoA’s compendium of audit recipes devotes case surgery. For advanced training, the greatest benefit
a section to possible audits relevant to day surgery [65]. A will be gained from developing the trainees’ management
good example of a national audit was completed by and leadership skills in relation to the organisation of a day
APAGBI in November 2017 [66]. surgery unit.
Audit of day surgery services relate primarily to quality It is important to remember that high-quality day
of care and efficiency. Examples of day surgery processes surgery requires experienced senior anaesthetists and
amenable to audit that have measurable outcomes are surgeons and that, although the day surgery unit is an ideal

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Anaesthesia 2019, 74, 778–792 Bailey et al. | Guidelines for day-case surgery 2019

Table 2 Day surgery processes amenable to audit. personnel. It is important to evaluate the procedure while
Component of process Outcome measure still performing it as an overnight stay in order to identify
any steps in the process that require modification to
Booking process Patients failing to attend for
surgery/theatre utilisation enable it to be performed as a day case, for example,
Pre-operative preparation Patients cancelling on the timing of postoperative X-rays, modification of i.v.
day/failing to attend antibiotic regimens, physiotherapy input and analgesia
Admission process Theatre start times protocols [74]. A multidisciplinary visit to another unit
Anaesthesia quality Unplanned admission where the procedure is performed successfully as a day
rates/postoperative symptoms case can be very helpful. Initially limiting the procedure to
Recovery Discharge times/unplanned a few colleagues (anaesthetists, surgeons and nurses)
admission rates
provides an opportunity to evaluate and optimise
Discharge process Episodes of unplanned contact
with primary care/out of hours techniques and to implement step changes in order that
health services the patient can be discharged safely and with optimal
Postoperative follow-up Episodes of unplanned contact analgesia. Support from the community nursing team can
with primary care/out of hours be helpful, especially in the early stages. Once the
health services
procedure has been successfully moved to the day surgery
Audit Quality and efficiency
setting, other personnel can join the team delivering care.
improvements
Clear clinical protocols help to ensure that all the lessons
learned during the evaluation phase are clearly passed on
environment for training junior medical staff, relying on to colleagues.
them to deliver the service results in poorer quality patient
outcomes and reduced efficiency [71, 72].
Isolated day surgery units
There are various quality improvement projects that
Many day surgery facilities in the UK and Ireland are isolated
can be undertaken by trainees during their day surgery
and the number of these is increasing. Currently, there is no
module, and suggestions can be found in Section 5 of the
set absolute minimum distance between any stand-alone
RCoA audit compendium, including audits of day surgery
unit and the nearest Emergency Department, although long
analgesia, PONV and unplanned admission rates. There are
distances are rare. The commissioning of any new isolated
also audits suggested in Section 13 that examine the
stand-alone unit requires analysis of its suitability for
adequacy of training, including consultant supervision.
providing the intended services and should meet the
Departments should also analyse trainee feedback from the
requirements as set out in the ‘Guidelines for Provision of
annual GMC survey to ensure that training across all
Anaesthetic Services’. These facilities may, or may not, be
modules is of sufficient quality.
purpose-built and the clinical lead must be aware of this in
managing any risk. The relationship with any nearby acute
Day surgery in special environments units should be reviewed regularly. Remoteness is a factor
A number of complex and highly specialist procedures are
to be considered in the delivery of a safe and efficient
beginning to enter the day surgery arena [73] and the
service. Careful consideration should be given as to
interventional radiology suite. Optimal care for these
whether there should be at least two anaesthetists on site at
procedures should be developed by those with expertise in
any one time. Prolonged travel time may be an issue for
day surgery, working in collaboration with specialists in the
visiting staff. On-call commitments should be taken into
management of the specific procedure. Many of these are
account in order to avoid accidents and fatigue either in the
undertaken in challenging environments. All the accepted
operating theatre or when travelling.
standards for delivery of anaesthesia, assistance for the
The operational policy should agree clear
anaesthetist, monitoring and appropriate recovery facilities
management of certain key issues. These include:
should be available.
1 Appropriate patient screening and selection with
Introducing new procedures to day availability of medical records, either in paper form or
surgery the electronic patient record
The successful introduction of new procedures to day 2 Management of medical emergencies, for example,
surgery depends on many factors, including the procedure cardiac arrest and major haemorrhage, and the
itself as well as anaesthetic, surgical and nursing availability of equipment, drugs and skilled personnel

788 © 2019 The Authors. Anaesthesia published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association of Anaesthetists.
Bailey et al. | Guidelines for day-case surgery 2019 Anaesthesia 2019, 74, 778–792

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Further reading • Wales Audit Office. Making better use of NHS day
• Association for Peri-operative Practice. Staffing for surgery in Wales. September 2006. http://www.wales.
Patients in the Peri-operative setting 2014. Harrogate: nhs.uk/documents/WAO%5FDay%5FSurgery%5FEng%
AfPP, 2014 (e-book). https://www.afpp.org.uk/books- 5Fweb%2Epdf (accessed 30/04/2018).
journals/books/book-119 (accessed 31/08/2018).
• Maximising Day Surgery in Ireland. Royal College of
• Jakobson J. Anaesthesia for Day Case Surgery. New Surgeons in Ireland. 2013. http://www.rcsi.i.e/files/
York: Oxford University Press, revised edition, 2012. facultyofnursingmidwifery/images/20130523022845_
• Lemos P, Jarrett P, Philip B, eds. Day Surgery Frank%20Keane.pdf (accessed 06/05/2018).
Development and Practice. Porto: International
• Day Surgery in Scotland. Audit Scotland 2008. http://
Association for Ambulatory Surgery, 2006. www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/health/2008/nr_080904_
day_surgery.pdf (accessed 06/05/2018).

Appendix 1
Example of acute pain protocols for adult surgery.

Pain intensity Discharge medication Doctors signature

(sign one box only)
A None None
B Mild Paracetamol 1 g 6 hourly
C Moderate Paracetamol 1 g 6 hourly
Plus
Ibuprofen 400 mg 8 hourly
C* Moderate Paracetamol 500 g 6 hourly
(NSAID intolerant) Codeine 30 mg 1–2 tablets 6 hourly
D Severe Paracetamol 1 g 6 hourly
Codeine 30 mg 1–2 tablets 6 hourly
Plus
Ibuprofen 400 mg 8 hourly
D* Severe Paracetamol 1 g 6 hourly
(NSAID intolerant) Plus
Oral morphine 20 mg 6 hourly
NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, *NSAID intolerant.

© 2019 The Authors. Anaesthesia published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association of Anaesthetists. 791
Anaesthesia 2019, 74, 778–792 Bailey et al. | Guidelines for day-case surgery 2019

Appendix 2
Pain categories for common procedures in the day surgery unit, to be used in conjunction with the above.

A B C D
EUA ears Cataract surgery Anal surgery ACL reconstruction
Cystoscopy Grommets/T tube insertion Apicectomy of tooth Circumcision
Restorative dentistry Prostate biopsy Arthroscopy Endometrial ablation
Sebaceous cyst surgery Axillary clearance Laparoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy Breast lumpectomy Haemorrhoidectomy
Skin lesion surgery Dupuytren’s contracture Hernia repair
Urethral surgery Carpal tunnel decompression Joint fusions/osteotomy
Cervical/vulval surgery Shoulder surgery
Hysteroscopy/D&C Squint surgery
Middle ear surgery Testicular surgery
MUA  steroid injection Tonsillectomy
Vaginal sling Wisdom tooth extraction
Varicose vein surgery Dental clearance
Vasectomy
Non-wisdom tooth extraction
EUA, examination under anaesthesia.

792 © 2019 The Authors. Anaesthesia published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association of Anaesthetists.