Abstract
Purpose : There are no guidelines for routine preoperative examinations in children undergoing elective minor surgery and the examinations performed are different depending on hospitals. To know whether routine examinations prior to elective minor surgery are necessary, we investigated the usefulness of the examinations. Materials and Methods : The results of routine laboratory blood tests, urinalysis, chest X-ray and electrocardiogram (ECG) performed preoperatively in 1,069 admissions of 1,005 patients were analyzed. The reasons for cancellation of surgery and perioperative complications were also examined. Results : A total of 33 surgeries were cancelled (3.1% of 1,069 admissions) and the reasons were upper respiratory tract infections in 29 patients, social reasons in 2 patients, and hepatitis and iron deficiency anemia in one patient each. The diagnoses of the last two illnesses were made by the results of laboratory blood tests. Surgery was cancelled in 10 patients with elevated CRP, all of whom had symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. No surgery was cancelled due to the findings of urinalysis, chest X-ray or ECG. Although one patient had hypertension during and after surgery, there were no complications related to the findings of preoperative examinations. Conclusions : Evidence showing the benefits of routine preoperative examinations was scant. A thorough clinical assessment with necessary examinations may be substituted for routine examinations without compromising the safety of anesthesia and surgery in children undergoing elective minor surgery. Urinalysis and ECG are unnecessary and laboratory blood tests should be limited to blood count, liver enzymes and infection survey.
