Increasing numbers of patients are presenting for day case surgery. Patients require careful selection, both in terms of good control of medical conditions (e.g. diabetes or cardiac disease) and straightforward types of surgery (e.g. low risk of severe pain, bleeding and disability). Patients will also require transport, an escort and supervision by an adult for 24 hours.

Some day case surgical units are remote from the main theatres (and may be off-site) and an experienced team is mandatory, with facilities to arrange an overnight admission if required.

The anaesthetic technique is with short acting agents but regional techniques can also be used such as brachial plexus block, spinal anaesthesia. Strategies to reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting are important. Multimodal analgesia with judicious use of opioids and local anaesthetic infiltration where possible is also used.