Recovery After Same-Day Surgery in Patients Receiving General Anesthesia: A Cohort Study Using the Quality of Recovery-40 Questionnaire

Abstract

Background: The contemporary rise in the number of elective procedures performed in same-day surgery (SDS) requires that health care professionals increase their knowledge of patient satisfaction and recovery, including patient-assessed quality of life. This study investigates the quality of recovery (QoR) of anesthetized SDS patients.

Methods: Data from SDS patients were collected from hospital records at T1 (the morning before operation), T2 (day 1 postsurgery), and T3 (day 4 postsurgery). The QoR-40 and three questions that addressed tiredness, hoarseness, and thirst were used to measure health status at T2 and T3.

Results: QoR-40 mean score at T2 was 175 (SD = 17.5; n = 328) and T3 was 181 (SD = 16.6; n = 340). QoR improved significantly from T2 to T3 as did tiredness, hoarseness, and thirst. Patients who underwent throat, nose, or ear surgery had the lowest mean score at T3, whereas gynecology patients had the highest mean score at the same time point. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis found the main predictor of QoR to be tiredness at T2, needing assistance with daily activities, preoperative education, not being discharged home, length of anesthesia, self-assessed mental health at T1, and hoarseness at T2 (R² = 0.469).

Conclusions: SDS patients needing assistance with daily activities, self-assessed in compromised mental health, who have undergone a lengthy anesthesia, and have not been discharged home need information, education, and special follow-up care.

Keywords: ambulatory surgery; anesthesia recovery; day surgery; quality indicators.