[Ambulatory surgery. Attitude of patients].

Whilst day care surgery is well developed in English-speaking countries for its medical, social and economic advantages, for ill-defined reasons a small proportion of ambulatory operations is performed in Switzerland. The purpose of this study was to determine the patients' attitude towards day care surgery in order to inform the general population concerning the development of this type of surgery. One hundred and ten hospitalized patients about to undergo unilateral repair of inguinal hernia were questioned: 58 percent were unfavourable, 22 percent were favourable and 20 percent would be favourable if a home care system was organized. The factors responsible for this negative attitude towards day care surgery are analysed, and proposals are made to overcome the patients, reluctance.