BACKGROUND: The objective of this paper is to evaluate the economical and operational advantages of ambulatory saphenectomy as opposed to the standart procedure. METHODS: From January 1992 to January 1998 we observed 152 patients (average age 41.9 years old) submitted to saphenous vein stripping. Some were operated in the Main Operating Room, and others in the Outpatient Operating Room. The follow up of both groups was performed at the Outpatient Vascular Surgery Ambulatory, and included ethical, financial and safety analysis of the process. RESULTS: The medium cost of an ambulatory surgery was US$63.13 while the same procedure performed in the Main Operating Room costed US$ 162.41 and needed an average of hospital lenght of stay of 2.3 days. CONCLUSION: The results show that the ambulatory procedures are ethically and economically advantageous when compared to regular surgical procedures performed in the Main Operating Room.
Cost and cost analysis; Ambulatory surgical procedures; Education department, hospital; Saphenous vein; Comparative study
