As I was going through the previous issues of this Journal, I found that, most of the articles tell a story.
A story or a journey of innovativeness, of struggle, of hard work and dedication, of a want to do something different, something new, more challenging and with an end result of a win-win situation for everyone. Authors from all over the world have interesting stories to tell. Some write in the form of a retrospective analysis of their work, then some write an essay. They all have one subject, and that is, One-day surgery.

The International experience: journey to Amsterdam, in April 2007, to attend the 7th IAAS Congress,
yours truly had the distinction of being the first surgeon to be invited as a Guest speaker. Even though we are not a member country, we were well received.

India received an International award for Best Poster presentation from amongst the participating countries. One more first to our credit!

The International organization is very keenly watching the progress we make in Day care surgery. It is evident for the articles published in this issue, of experience of our two distinguished Invited Guests,
Dr. Hugh Barthlomeusz from Australia, writes on his progress on One-day surgery, which is brief and to the point. He now heads a chain of centers specializing in Cosmetic and Reconstructive surgery.

Dr. Carlo Castoro, from Italy, is part of team of International faculty, instrumental in setting standards for Ambulatory surgery. He has detailed guidelines for standard and safe One-day surgery for the world.

Closer to home, Dr. Bansals, have now set up a chain of centers dispensing care for urological patients and patients who can benefit by minimal access techniques. Most of them are now being done as Day-case.

Dr. Pravin Gupta, a Proctologist, has once again penned his experiences on newer methods of treating anal surgeries as Day care.

Anaesthesia provides the main stay in making it possible for any case to be discharged as day-case.
Dr. Nandini Dave and Dr. Anjana Sahu’s article touch on the details of discharge criteria’s, which are note worthy. Especially, the score chart.

The day is now not far, when exclusive One-day centers will be set up across the country, which will provide multispeciality secondary surgical care as Day care. It will be now, when the great potential of ambulatory surgery will be realized for select surgical cases.

Public health care providers are very keen to see more and more cases performed as day-case, which would reduce the load that they have to bear, as well as reduce the burden on the government healthcare expenses, which can be utilized for care of critical patients.

More to come in the next issue, read on!

Dr. T. Naresh Row

“My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people:
those who do the work and those who take credit.
He told me to be in the first group. There is much less competition”
- Indira Gandhi

-----