Patient Workup: Case Selection

We would like to stress that this facility is a geographically separate Ambulatory Surgery Center. This is not a hospital nor is it an Ambulatory Center within a hospital. Not all ambulatory surgeries should be performed in a geographically separate center. Some cases need to be performed in a hospital based ambulatory unit. We will do whatever it takes to minimize complications and hospital admissions. This is accomplished by appropriate case selection. Those cases having even a very small chance for admission need to be scheduled as an outpatient in the hospital. You may book any ASA 1 + ASA 2 cases without any approval. All ASA 3 and higher need to be approved for geographically separate ambulatory surgery. (See summarized ASA classification below.) Please feel comfortable to call us if you have any questions about the appropriateness of your case.

• We will not accept patients over 250 lbs.
• We will not accept patients with known difficult airways.
• We will comfortably handle children at the Center.
• We will allow cases of any full term baby over the age of 6 months. Pediatric cases will be handled in a safe, child-friendly environment. The Ambulatory Surgery Center has special designated pediatric areas. The Center also has a strong group of pediatric anesthesiologists at the facility.
• The rules for ex-premature children are a little more complicated. A healthy ex-premature child can be operated on as an outpatient if they are 60 weeks post conceptual age.
• We will not accept cases who may require blood products. We will only transfuse patients under extremely emergent situations.

Cataract surgery is in a category of its own - most cataract patients can be operated on at the Center. Any cataract patient requiring general anesthesia needs our approval. Do not hesitate to call and discuss a case with our staff.

We have no problem with patients who have a family history of malignant hyperthermia. Please let us know in advance.

Please call us if you have any doubts. Please notify us in advance of anything that we should be aware of that may affect our preparation for the case.

The ASA Physical Status
Classification System

P1----- A normal healthy patient
P2----- A patient with mild systemic disease
P3----- A patient with severe systemic disease
P4----- A patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life
P5----- A moribund patient who is not expected to survive without the operation
P6----- A declared brain-dead patient whose organs are being harvested