Practice of ambulatory surgery: Indications and therapeutic follow-up in the general surgery department at the medical center of Ratoma

Introduction: Ambulatory surgery is a mode of surgical management at the end of which the patient has spent less than 12 hours within the hospital structure, without overnight stay. Our study aims to report our observations on the practice of day surgery, to determine the indications and to identify the therapeutic consequences.

Material and methods: This was a descriptive prospective study lasting 6 months from November 01, 2021 to April 30, 2022, on the practice of day surgery in the general surgery department at the medical center. Municipality of Ratoma

Results: Out of a total admission of 389 surgical cases, day surgery represented 139 cases or 35.7%. The age group of 16-35 years was dominant 69% or 96 cases with average age of 24.3 ± 10.5 years extreme of age 7 years and 69 years. The male gender was represented in 80 cases, i.e. 61.2%. Pupils and students were the most concerned 71 cases or 51%. Emergencies were the most represented 93.5% or 130 cases. Biology was normal in 116 patients, i.e. 83.4%. 97.8% (n=136) of patients were classified ASAI; 2.1% (n=3) were classified as ASAII. Appendicitis was the most represented operative indication 64% or 89 cases followed by inguinal hernia 17.3% or 24 cases. The majority of our patients 94.2% or 131 cases benefited from general anesthesia and appendectomy was the most practiced surgical technique followed by herniorrhaphy with respective rates of 64% and 17.3%. 100 patients or 71.9% had a duration of intervention between 21 and 30 minutes with an average duration of intervention: 25.6 Minutes ± 6.5 minutes Extreme 18 minutes and 53 minutes. The average duration of hospitalization: 8 hours ± 1.3 hours: Extremes 5 hours and 11 hours. The follow-up was favorable in 116 patients, i.e. 83.5%. The immediate early postoperative complications were present in 23 of our patients, dominated by persistent abdominal pain in 13 patients and those secondary in 03 of our patients including 2 cases of parietal suppuration and 1 case of scrotal hematoma.

Conclusion: outpatient surgery is common in our department, practiced much more in young female subjects whose appendectomy is the most performed surgical technique.