General anaesthesia for day surgery:Preventing the problems

SummaryThe ideal day case anaesthetic should provide a rapid and smooth induction with good operating conditions, rapid recovery and minimal postoperative complications. No current agent is ideal, but careful use of the available choices can still produce excellent results.No single technique has been shown to give consistently superior recovery and achieving optimal results relies on a combination of factors, including provision of effective non-opioid analgesia, use of supplemental fluids, minimising emetogenic supplements and careful titration of anaesthesia to effect. The art and skill of the individual anaesthetist are as important in this respect as their actual choice of anaesthetic drugs.