Selecting paediatric surgical patients for day care surgery--a ten year experience (1980-1989) in the UNTH, Enugu, Nigeria.

Selecting the right paediatric surgical patients for Day care Surgery is an important part of ensuring that the quality of medical care is preserved in this setting. The exponential growth of out-patient Surgery of the 1980's in the developing countries is such that in the quinqennium starting from 1995, perhaps more that 65% of all elective Surgery can be performed on an out-patient basis. This communication examines what adaptations are necessary, particularly in preparative screening and patient selection, to meet the demands of Day Care (ambulatory) Surgery in paediatric Surgical patients in a tertiary hospital facility. A ten-year experience (January 1980-December 1989) in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, Nigeria is the basis of our review.