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uch progress has been made since the beginning of history, we currently have great innovations that have undoubtedly made surgical procedures safer, shorter and technically easier. This has also allowed recovery after surgery to be faster and the risk of surgical procedures to decrease.

Until a few years ago, most surgical procedures were performed with the patient admitted to a hospital centre, in order to provide him with care before, during and after surgery. This traditional concept is giving way to what we now know as outpatient surgery.

What is Day Surgery?

Day surgery is any surgical procedure that is carried out without hospitalisation, regardless of whether it is major or minor surgery, or is performed under general, regional or local anaesthesia. This is understood in three dimensions: minor outpatient surgery, major outpatient surgery, and short-stay surgery.

Minor Ambulatory Surgery

Minor ambulatory surgery refers to those surgical procedures that are carried out with local anaesthesia, without hospitalisation and that do not need any special post-operative care, which allows the patient to return to their environment once it is completed.

Major Ambulatory Surgery

Major ambulatory surgery refers to those surgical procedures that are carried out with local, regional or general anaesthesia and require immediate post-operative care but without hospitalisation, allowing the patient to return home a few hours after the surgery.

Short-Stay Surgery

Today, the concept of day surgery is expanded and includes the concept of short-stay surgery for those surgical procedures carried out with an inpatient or hospital stay of less than 48 hours.

In the pure concept of day surgery, short-stay surgery could be considered as the previous step to shorten hospitalisation or perhaps the next step after non-hospitalisation, aimed at reducing hospital stay in those procedures that traditionally required more than three days of hospitalisation.

The Advantages of Day Surgery

There are many factors that have led us to focus increasingly on day surgery, among which we can point out:

-The decrease in hospital costs.

-The high degree of hospital occupation causing a decrease in the quality of care of those patients who actually deserve to be hospitalised.

-The reduction of infections that could arise from the hospital environment itself.

-Finally, the comfort of the patient himself who undeniably will feel better care at home.

Virtually all surgical specialities have pathologies that can be treated with day surgery. We are convinced that many of the surgeries can be performed on an outpatient basis. Talk to your doctor and if you are a good candidate for this procedure with his instructions and the good care of the Harley Street Hospital, the surgery will be much less uncomfortable and you will feel very satisfied. Book an appointment to get a checkup.