Organization of day-case adenoidectomy in the management of chronic otitis media with effusion--preliminary results.

We report our initial findings of adenoidectomy performed in Leicester as a day case on 149 children between the ages of 3 and 9 years, who have been assessed for suitability for day-case surgery according to specific medical and social criteria. The selection a paediatric community nurse. All of the surgical procedures have been performed by experienced medical staff and the various anaesthetic techniques used by consultants or senior registrars have been documented. Six children were admitted postoperatively for overnight observation, three of whom had suffered a primary haemorrhage. No patients have been returned to theatre because of haemorrhage and there have been no re-admissions after discharge. A strict entry protocol has been observed to ensure the safety of this type of surgery and to date the acceptability of such a scheme and its organization has been widespread amongst those children and their parents who have participated.