Is day case surgery in urology associated with high admission rates?

The nature of the procedures and patients in urological day surgery may lead to high admission rates. A retrospective audit was performed over 8 years (1988 to 1996) to determine admission rates in a urological day surgical unit and examine reasons for and methods of decreasing admissions. The overall admission rate was 9.3%. Higher rates were associated with cystoscopic procedures, with 46% of admissions after bladder tumour cystosurveillance and a further 18% after urethroscopic surgery for urethral strictures. There was a surgical indication for admission in 72% of cases, with an anaesthetic indication in 17%. The study demonstrates that admission rates accompanying urological day surgery are higher than the 3% proposed by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. Achieving a rate of 3% may require restrictive patient selection that will deprive some patients the benefits associated with urological day surgical care.