Fast-Track Eligibility and Hospital Discharge for Outpatient Lumbar Discectomy: A Prospective Observational Study

After obtaining hospital's ethics committee approval (University of Medical Sciences, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital- Date: 06/05/2018; No: 18/148) and written informed consents obtained from patients, 122 ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) physical status I-II patients, aged between 18-65 years, undergoing elective lumbar discectomy under general anesthesia were included into the study . After anesthesia application applied to all groups with the same procedure, patients were extubated after surgery. After extubation, patients were evaluated using mASS, WFTSS and SPEEDS criteria during 15 minutes with 3 min intervals. Patients who fulfilled criteria of all scoring systems were defined as eligible for PACU by-pass (fast-tracking) and transferred into phase II recovery area in the ward without observation in PACU (Group FT = Fast Track;). Ineligible patients were taken into PACU where their treatments were continued until discharge criteria were achieved (Group PACU). All patients were followed in the ward until hospital discharge. IV tramadol PCA (Patient -Controlled Analgesia; infusion rate: 4 mgh-1, bolus dose: 4mg, lock-out time: 30 min., 4 hours-limit: 30 mg), paracetamol (10 mgkg-1 IV with 6 hrs. intervals) and oral diclofenac sodium (75 mg with 8 hrs. intervals) were given in a multimodal analgesic regimen. Pain was evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) with 2 hours intervals and IV pethidine 0.5 mgkg-1 was given as rescue analgesic throughout the study period when VAS was >3. PONV was treated using IV 4 mg ondansetron. Discharge from hospital was evaluated using Post Anesthetic Discharge Scoring System (PADSS), . Patients with a PADSS score ≥ 9 were discharged from the hospital by the escort of their relatives.