부산대학교 도서관

Preoperative medical evaluation can minimize inefficiencies and improve outcomes. Thoughtful use of pre-operative testing can aid in that effort, but, conversely, indiscriminate testing can detract from it. The United Kingdom National Institute for Health Care and Excellence, European Society of Anaesthesiology, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) have all stated that routine preoperative testing is not supported by evidence. Testing is supported only when clinical indications are present. Particularly in low risk patients, such as those with an ASA classification of 1 or 2 who are undergoing ambulatory procedures, evidence suggests that preoperative testing fails to reduce the risk of complications. While these findings and recommendations can help reduce unnecessary testing, gaps and limitations in the literature can make it challenging to select patients for whom preoperative testing actually might impact care. Here, the authors review testing that is commonly collected in patients planning surgery and propose evidence-based indications for the selective use of tests in the preoperative setting.