Outpatient surgery is now widely performed in adults but remains rarely used for paediatric orthopaedic procedures. As with adult surgery, both the arthroscopic equipment and anaesthesia techniques have improved over the last few years. Arthroscopy is particularly well advanced at the knee but can also be used at other joints (hip, ankle, elbow, shoulder). The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of outpatient paediatric arthroscopy.

Arthroscopic surgery can be performed in children on an outpatient basis provided an appropriate care programme is applied.

This single-centre retrospective study included 216 patients aged 3.8 to 18 years who underwent outpatient arthroscopy (knee, n=170; ankle, n=22; elbow, n=12; shoulder, n=6; and hip, n=6). The decision to perform the procedure on an outpatient basis was made with the patient during the surgeon visit then confirmed during the anaesthesiologist visit. The main outcome measure was failure of outpatient arthroscopy defined as a need for standard inpatient admission. The secondary outcome measures were pain or sleep disturbances on the day after the procedure (as assessed during a telephone call), a need to see a physician during the first week after the procedure, and patient satisfaction.

Of the 216 patients, 9 required overnight admission (4 because of vomiting, 4 because of pain, and 1 because of a malaise) and 2 patients were admitted elsewhere for postoperative pain then discharged within 24hours. Of the 160 patients who could be contacted on the day after the procedure, 141 (88%) said they had had a good night and 141 (88%) that they had little or no pain. Over 95% of patients were satisfied with their outpatient management.

As with adults, arthroscopic surgery is an ideal indication for outpatient care in paediatric patients. Outpatient arthroscopic surgery is already widely used at the knee and is also suitable for other joints in the paediatric population.

IV, retrospective study.