Are Canadian Outpatient Ambulatory Surgery Centers Safe? An Assessment of 2596 Consecutive Aesthetic Surgery Patients

Abstract Background Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) with same-day discharge criteria are the most common setting for aesthetic surgery in Canada. However, to date, no study has reviewed the safety of outpatient aesthetic surgery performed in the Canadian ASC setting. Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the overall safety profile of aesthetic surgery in ASCs, to determine how often in-hospital resources were utilized following outpatient aesthetic surgery, and to examine how predictor variables impact adverse outcomes in this setting. Methods A retrospective chart review of 2596 consecutive patients who underwent aesthetic surgery over a 40-month period at a single Canadian ASC was performed. Data extracted included demographics, operative details, and postoperative complications. Results A total of 2581 patients met inclusion criteria. The majority of patients were female (91.2%) with a mean age of 37.6 years (r