General anesthesia time for the dental management of special needs patients

Abstract

AIM: The aim of this retrospective audit was to determine the utilization of theatre time for dental management under GA on SNP at Queen Mary hospital (QMH). 1. To check the mean utilization of theatre time. 2. To check the correlation among theatre time and different age groups. 3. To determine the theatre time based on completion of cases. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective audit of 275 special needs dental patients treated under GA at QMH. All the patients involved were divided into three age groups based on dentitions. Data was collected in a over a 10-year (2002–11) period using a data collection sheet and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2007. RESULTS: The retrospective audit demonstrated: the mean theatre time for dental treatment was 115±55 min. The >12 age group utilized significantly longer time 17%, 59%, 75%, and 88% cases completed on or before 60 min, 120 min, 150 min and 180 min, respectively. Recommendation and Action Plan: Further research needed for the evaluation of time for individual procedure. Cases should be planned based on need of treatment and number of cases per session should be increased. CONCLUSION: Overall 88% cases completed before scheduled time while 59% cases completed before patients with permanent dentition (>12) utilized more theatre time. This audit highlighted the importance of theatre time and to reduce patients waiting list planned DGA by increase no of cases for session.