MM Begani	Niranjan Agarwal	T Naresh Row

To consider this special edition of BHJ as a follow-up to the special issue on ‘Day Care Medicine-Surgery’, edited by us in April 2003, (Vol. 45, No.2), would be appropriate, as much has been covered in these three years, yet, more needs to be done. This is just a beginning.

Over the past two years, there has been an organised and systematic exposure of the surgical specialities, to the concept of Day Surgery. Most agree to the urgent need of addressing the simpler surgical afflictions, which lead to mental stress for patient and the family. Day-case surgery comes to the rescue, reducing the loss of man hours in the hospital, as well as, the cost and inconvenience caused to all concerned.

The review of world literature reveals statistics, making you wonder as to the extent of rapid progress and capability of the surgical sciences; with the ability of innovative adaptation, by surgeons and anaesthesiologist.

In the formative years of establishing the concept, it has been quoted that it is ‘like selling old wine in a new bottle’, which, to some extent, is true. The concept of day surgery is well known to us. Almost all of us have in some way come across day surgery by way of practising it or being exposed to it through our friends or relatives.

When there is talk of patients and hospitals, among the other things, most of the time the conversations goes as such: “…now-a-days, abroad, the patient goes home on the same day of the surgery! Most of the surgeries are done by ‘Laser’, that is why,….”.

Laparoscopic surgery in Day care, has been covered extensively by the previous issue of this journal (Vol. 47, No. 4, Oct. 2005), where articles contributed have covered the subject and therefore, would not be repeated again in this issue.

One begins to wonder that, if this is such a wonderful concept, then why we don’t have it.

Therefore, we begin with asking questions: Are we ready for Day surgery?

Do we need it? How to go about it? Are there any training programme or guidelines? What is possible in day-case? What are dilemmas in the progress of Day surgery? Incidentally, Bombay Hospital is co-hosting the second national conference of The Association of Day Surgery, to reflect on these issues.

What is certain is that establishing practice parameters, protocols of Day Surgery, and promoting safe surgery, is an issue of paramount importance. In these articles you will read more of personal experiences and practical points, which are of paramount importance on a day to day basis.

We appreciate the interest shown by our readers, who continue to support us by constructive appreciation and criticism.

We would like to register our gratitude to the authors and sponsors, who, once again have come forward to contribute to the success of this special issue.
We take this opportunity to thank Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences, Bombay Hospital Trust, Dr. O. P. Kapoor, Dr. R. J. Mehta and their team, of Bombay Hospital Journal, for inviting us, once again, to be the guest editors of another special issue.

MM Begani, Niranjan Agarwal, T Naresh Row