Objectives:

To analyze patients who underwent oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures under general anesthesia or sedation as an ambulatory procedure in our hospital. Complications found during surgery, in the recovery room and in the outpatient surgery unit were studied. Unscheduled admissions and degree of patient satisfaction were also reviewed.

Materials and methods:

1823 consecutive patients who underwent oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures as an ambulatory procedure between January 2007 and January 2017 were retrospectively studied. Different complications and quality indexes were analyzed.

Results:

Mean age of the patients was 35 years. Most of the patients were classified as having ASA 1-2 with no major toxic habits. 70 % of the patients were operated on under general anesthesia, and the other 30 % under local anesthesia with intravenous sedation. Exodontia of impacted teeth, maxillary bones cyst and tumor resections were the most frequently performed surgical procedures. Important complications were very rare, postoperative pain, nausea-vomiting and dizziness were the complications most frequently reported. The most important risk factors for postoperative complications were using general anesthesia, ASA 3-4, being over 65 years of age and undergoing preprosthetic surgery. 1.34 % of the scheduled surgical procedures were suspended. Unscheduled admissions accounted for 4.66 % of total interventions performed, 1.67 % in the last 5 years of the study. Only 0.76 % of the patients had to be readmitted into the hospital after surgery.

Conclusion:

The presence of surgical complications is very rare and only minor complications were found. Unscheduled admissions of 4.66 % has been noted, 1.67 % during the last five years of the present study. Patient satisfaction surveys show adequate pain control and positively evaluate the care received in the outpatient surgery unit.

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