Minor surgery activity in primary care

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the activity in our Outpatient Minor Surgery unit during its first five-year period.

Design: Retrospective descriptive study.

Methods: It was carried out in two centres of a Basic Health Area with a catchment area of 73,000 inhabitants.

Participants: Patients who underwent surgery from January 2002 to December 2007 were included in the research.

Main outcome measures: Information on the sociodemographic data of the patients, characteristics of the lesions, risk factors, treatment and its complications was gathered.

Results: A total of 2317 surgical procedures was performed on 1520 patients. The mean was 46 years old and 52% were men. The concordance between clinical and anatomopathological diagnosis was 81%. There were complications in 5% of them. The main pathologies were: epidermoid cysts (22%), nevus (20%) and fibromas (18%). They were mainly located in the back (24%), superior extremities (14%) and head (11%). In 73% mepivicaine was used as anaesthetic. The most current techniques used were: incision (36%), curettage (33%) and fusiform excision (28%). Less than 1% had malignant lesions, 50% of which were not diagnosed clinically. The mean waiting time was 30 days. Ninety-two percent had the informed consent.

Conclusions: Minor surgery in primary care is feasible and has a good clinicopathological concordance and minimum complications, but some malignant lesions are overlooked in the diagnosis based exclusively on clinical criteria.

Figure 1

Number of minor surgery prodedures claimed for by GPs, and overall population in Sant Cugat del Valles and Valldoreix area, 2003–2007, claim rates per 1000 population

Figure 2

Anaesthetic used according to location