Anaesthetic preoperative assessment, optimization and multidisciplinary prehabilitation

Abstract

People decide to have surgery because it is life saving or life enhancing. Most of the 10 million procedures that take place in the UK each year have an uncomplicated course, but an increasing number of individuals are at risk of poor outcomes because of co-morbid conditions and poor functional capacity. At age 65 years, 50% of the UK population have ≥2 long-term conditions. Complications that prolong length of stay occur after approximately 15% of inpatient operations, and a similar proportion of patients express regret that they have undergone surgery. Many of the risks of surgery can be mitigated by preoperative assessment and optimization. Prehabilitation plays a crucial role in preparing patients for major surgery.