AANA journal
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
The influence of spinal needle orientation during administration of subarachnoid blocks on discharge criteria in same-day surgical patients.
Cost containment is a critical factor in today's healthcare industry, so finding ways to decrease length of stay is essential in anesthesia practice. We rely on rapid induction, recovery, and discharge to control cost in outpatient surgery. Subarachnoid block (SAB) is an acceptable anesthetic choice for many outpatient procedures. ⋯ Demographics (except weight) were not statistically different between the groups. Total hospital time did not differ between the groups. Regardless of needle orientation, patients in both study groups achieved discharge criteria in similar amounts of time.