General anaesthesia for day-care dental procedures

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study the safety and cost-effectiveness of the use of general anesthesia in selected dental cases in a day unit dental surgery (DUD-surgery). METHOD: Over a two and a half-year period, the outcome of dental procedures performed at a DUD-surgery under general anaesthesia was documented and reviewed. The age, gender, nature of the procedure, duration and cost were noted. The safety of such procedures under general anaesthesia was critically assessed in each case. The recommendation in the Poswillo report were strongly adhered to, with the DUD-surgery being well equipped with an anaesthetic machine, cardiac monitor, pulse oximeter and other instruments and equipment for intra-and post-operative care of patients. RESULTS: A total of 152 patients were induced in the DUD-surgery, 101 (66.4 percent) females and 51 (33.6 percent) males. No crisis/anaesthetic accident was encountered. Occasionally, much pain was experienced during the post-operative period. CONCLUSION: Day unit dental surgery under general anaesthesia is safe if the recommendations of the Postwillo report are adhered to.(Au)