Trend toward outpatient surgery in Europe raises concern among ophthalmologists

BASSANO DEL GRAPPA, Italy — Italian ophthalmologists expressed concern over the downgrading of most surgical procedures in Europe to outpatient surgery at a meeting here.

"There is a basic misunderstanding regarding ophthalmology, because even the most severe conditions and most traumatic surgical procedures can nowadays be performed under local or topical anesthesia and don't prevent patients from moving and taking care of themselves. However, this doesn't mean that they are low-risk surgeries," Costantino Bianchi, MD, said at an ophthalmology meeting organized at the San Bassiano Hospital.

Ambulatory surgery is an effective, increasingly used budgetary-saving policy, but in many cases, it may expose the patient to a high risk of postoperative complications.

"There are surgical procedures, such as glaucoma and retinal detachment surgery, that require close observation for at least 48 hours and where success rate is strictly related to early postoperative management," Dr. Bianchi explained.

Alternative solutions to just sending the patient home are required to avoid complications and second procedures that are detrimental to the patient's health and may eventually result in greater financial burden than inpatient first surgery.

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