[Ambulatory surgery in France: practical and medicolegal considerations].

In France, ambulatory anaesthesia and surgery seem to be well codified. Many recommendations have been published by the Health Authority and the professional associations: they are summarized in this review. However, numerous practical problems persist: for example, two situations specific to paediatric practice are problematic parental comprehension and application of the information provided and poor access to strong analgesics outside the hospital. Despite this, the paediatric population is an ideal target for ambulatory care because of its usual good health and quicker recovery after minor injury as proven by the small percentage of failure and readmission.