Complex surgery with hospital discharge on the same day is now possible

Having complex surgery and being discharged from hospital on the same day only a few hours after the procedure is now possible, safe and a common practice thanks to the protocols implemented at our Major Day Surgery Unit.

Quirónsalud Marbella Hospital successfully implemented this management concept which is habitual for many procedures of various specialities regardless of the type of anaesthesia used.  Doctor Dieter Morales, a specialist of the Endocrine Surgery Unit and a member of the General Surgery and Digestive Tract Unit headed by Doctor Enrique Aycart states that “this way of proceeding allows the patient to go home on the same day of surgery and this does not necessarily mean that the surgery was a simple one.  An exhaustive postsurgical control protocol is implemented in order to determine whether it is convenient for a patient to be sent home.  If all the requirements are met, the patient is discharged from hospital to return home with their families”.

At our Marbella hospital we have ascertained the popularity of this procedure with patients as it interferes minimally with their everyday lives, allowing them to go back earlier to the comfort of their homes safely.  Besides, the results obtained with this healthcare model confirm its benefits to patient quality of life, reduction of complications such as hospital infections, and optimisation of resources, which in turn leads to higher availability of beds for other patients.

The latest technological developments applied to medicine such as laparoscopy and robotics amongst others, have promoted the emergence and development of the protocols for Major Day Surgery.  Generally speaking, these types of procedures require for certain medical and surgical requirements to be met, i.e. surgery cannot exceed 2 hours in length, there must not be drainage of wounds involved, the patient must be under certain age, etc.  The majority of the procedures are carried out by laparoscopy approach, which is less intrusive and therefore reduces postsurgical discomfort.

Doctor Morales explains that one of the key factors for success of these kinds of surgical procedures is the level of qualification of the healthcare professionals.  “In terms of Major Day Surgery, it is important to highlight the level of training and dedication of the surgeons and the medical team involved in the surgical procedure.  This kind of approach requires multidisciplinary teams with vast experience”.

A high percentage of specialities in the services portfolio of Quirónsalud Marbella Hospital have incorporated Major Day Surgery into their habitual practices, offering patients the opportunity to follow this formula to have their surgery for the following specialities: Angiology and Vascular Surgery, Cardiology, General and Digestive Tract Surgery, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthopaedic and Traumatology Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Urology.  Our expert highlights: “In my speciality, i.e., general and digestive tract surgery, we carry out abdominal wall, colorectal, biliary lithiasis and gastro-oesophageal reflux surgery.  Additionally, we will very soon include endocrine, thyroid and parathyroid surgery”.

Spanish Association of Major Day Surgery

The current situation in the area of Major Day Surgery, the success stories and the future prospects were some of the aspects analysed at the 15^th Major Day Surgery National Symposium of the Spanish Association for Major Day Surgery ASECMA, which was held last June in Vigo.  A large number of professionals from the areas of anaesthesiology, surgery and nursing from our country and other European countries attended this health event.

Amongst the highlights of this event’s programme was the intervention of Doctor Dieter Morales who gave two presentations.  The first one focused on the analysis of thyroid and parathyroid gland surgery without hospitalisation and, the second one was an insight of the importance of research and innovation in the progressive implementation of Major Day Surgery for various specialities.  Doctor Morales received an award to the best oral communicator of the convention in the area of management on account of his contribution to ASECMA for over 30 years.

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