Toni, 38-year-old mother of two, thumbs through a women's magazine, fully dressed, in the waiting room of the same-day surgery suite at her local hospital. Mildly anxious, she smiles at her husband who places a reassuring arm around her shoulders. In a moment her name is called and the couple enters a door and greets the nurse who will remain with Toni throughout her forty-minute surgical procedure.
Inside her cubicle that resembles a traditional hospital room, Toni is given a hospital gown, hair cover, and slippers. After changing into these, the nurse goes over Toni's personal and medical information as she and her spouse sit side by side on the bed. After starting an intravenous line, the nurse departs. A few minutes later the anesthesiologist stops by. With a friendly self-introduction, she goes over Toni's previous surgical history and they agree on the mildest and most effective anesthesia for Toni's surgery.
Soon it's time to go into the operating room, and after a kiss from her husband, Toni laughs at a nurse's funny comment as she is wheeled down the hall and into the nearby surgical area as her husband is ushered to the waiting room. Within an hour Toni is in recovery and joined by her relieved husband, whom the doctor has informed that the procedure went well with no cancer found.
An hour and a half later, Toni, now fully dressed, having drunk and kept down fluids, and been to the bathroom, has the IV line removed and is wheeled to the pick-up area where her spouse waits in their car to drive her home. The entire process has taken less than six hours.
Toni received the same kind of preparation, attention, treatment, and discharge that fully-admitted surgical patients get. Due to her busy lifestyle, she is able to get in and out of surgery in a matter of hours rather than days, with her husband nearby most of that time. All in all, it was a satisfying experience as surgeries go.
Advantages and disadvantages of same-day surgery include these points, among others:
Advantages:
1. Most patients undergo minor surgery in 23 hours or less.
2. Research shows that a significant number of same-day surgery patients report less pain, side effects, and complications compared to those who undergo full hospitalization.
3. Patients can return home and resume a normal schedule more quickly than those who are admitted to the hospital.
Disadvantages:
1. Typically, most procedures are minor rather than major surgeries.
2. Medical situations with extenuating circumstances cannot always be accommodated, or may lead to admission afterward.
3. A few patients may need to return to the hospital for follow-up care if complications arise.
If you have been advised to have surgery, talk with your doctor about the possibility of same-day surgery options. Be sure your doctor has worked in the facility before, and that he or she feels comfortable recommending the process to you and managing it as your physician.
Also discuss the option of hospital admission if you're having major surgery. You may learn that some features have positive benefits that you would like to take advantage of. Both departments should have literature that you can request and review at home before making a decision.
Remember, it's your body. Make the most informed choice that you can about how to treat the surgical processes that may become necessary.
