Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 43, 1121-1127, Copyright © 1996 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

ARTICLES

Postoperative symptoms 24 hours after ambulatory anaesthesia

F Chung, V Un and J Su
Department of Anaesthesia, Toronto Western Division, Toronto Hospital, Ontario, Canada.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that the type of surgical procedure influences the incidence of postoperative symptoms. Also the effect of demographic and clinical risk variables: age, sex, ASA status, duration of anaesthesia on the postoperative symptoms were evaluated for each type of surgery. METHODS: Demographic, medical, anaesthetic and surgical data on 1,017 patients were prospectively collected by a research assistant who telephoned each patient 24 hr after discharge to administer a questionnaire to determine postoperative symptoms. Postoperative symptoms included incisional pain, nausea/vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness, headache and fever. In addition, 270 patients were asked the % (0-100) of their return to daily living function at 24 hr. RESULTS: Incisional pain (26.9%), headache (11.6%), and drowsiness (11.5%) were the most frequently reported symptoms. Dizziness was reported by 9.7% and nausea/vomiting by 7.1%. Approximately 50% of patients undergoing laparoscopy, orthopaedic and general surgery reported 24-hr postoperative incisional pain. The incidence of 24-hr postoperative nausea/vomiting was highest after general 17.4%, orthopaedic, 11.2%, and laparoscopic surgery, 9.4%. Drowsiness was highest after laparoscopy 36.1%, followed by general surgery, 21.4%. Dizziness was most frequent after laparoscopy, 24.1%, followed by general surgery, 16.1%. After laparoscopy, postoperative drowsiness or dizziness was related to anaesthesia duration. After general surgery, postoperative dizziness or drowsiness were related to age; the younger the patient, the more likely the symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative pain, nausea/vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness, and headache were the more frequent postoperative symptoms 24 hr after ambulatory surgery and they were influenced by the type of surgical procedure. In addition, the type of surgery and the 24-hr postoperative symptoms determined the degree of return to daily living function.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				X. Capdevila, P. Macaire, P. Aknin, C. Dadure, N. Bernard, and S. Lopez Patient-Controlled Perineural Analgesia After Ambulatory Orthopedic Surgery: A Comparison of Electronic Versus Elastomeric Pumps Anesth. Analg., February 1, 2003; 96(2): 414 - 417. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. J. Pavlin, C. Chen, D. A. Penaloza, N. L. Polissar, and F. P. Buckley Pain as a Factor Complicating Recovery and Discharge After Ambulatory Surgery Anesth. Analg., September 1, 2002; 95(3): 627 - 634. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. J. Blanshard, F. Chung, P. H. Manninen, M. D. Taylor, and M. Bernstein Awake Craniotomy for Removal of Intracranial Tumor: Considerations for Early Discharge Anesth. Analg., January 1, 2001; 92(1): 89 - 94. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. I. Marshall and F. Chung Discharge Criteria and Complications After Ambulatory Surgery Anesth. Analg., March 1, 1999; 88(3): 508 - 508. [Full Text] [PDF]