Families' preference after out patient pediatric surgery: In or out patient?

Six hundred eight questionnaires were sent to the families whose children were operated for inguinal hernia in one of the biggest cities of Turkey. Families' preference of outpatient pediatric surgical procedures after five years and factors influencing their preference is investigated. Of the 229 families replied, 65% of them preferred outpatient, 25% preferred inpatient treatment. The age of the child, the side of the operative repair, the year of the operation, the place of the families' residence, the hospitalization of their children or another family member for any other reason, and the occurrence of a second operation for contralateral side or recurrence did not influence the preference. However, postoperative complaints and the type of hospital at which the child was operated had effects on parents' preference. The most common postoperative complaint was the fear regarding the home care of the patient We suggest that outpatient surgical centers and separate teams will solve this problem. Additionally perioperative informative discussions must he adequate to eliminate families' fear due to outpatient pediatric surgery.