engleski

Structure of patients and outcome of the triage process for the dental treatment in general anesthesia

Aim of the study was to analyse the structure of patients referred for dental treatment in general anaesthesia (GA) and to analyse the triage outcomes.Retrospective chart analysis of patients referred between January 1st 2018 and July 7th 2022 was performed. Following data were registered: age, sex, diagnosis/reason for referral for GA, indication for dental treatment in GA, trisage outcome and waiting time for the GA procedure.Charts of 193 referred in the aforementioned period were analysed. Most common reason for the referral was autism (65/33.7%), cerebral paralysis (29/15%) and mental retardation (27/14%). Indication for dental treatment in GA was found in 156(80.8%) patients while in 37(19.2%) patients no indication for dental treatment in GA was found. Out of the 156 patients who were indicated for dental treatment in GA, 98(62.8%) patients were managed through day-care surgery and 8(5.2%) patients were admitted to hospital. Twenty patients (12.8%) were still waiting for their GA appointment in the time of analysis, 29(18.6%) were lost to follow up and in one (0.6%) patient the anaesthesiologist recommended ambulatory treatment due to increased risk. Out of the 37 patients in whom no indication for the treatment in GA was found, 13(35.2%) had no caries, 16/(43.2%) were referred to paediatric dentist and 8(21.6%) were managed on the initial exam. Median time of waiting for the procedure was 120(10-365) days. Before the COVID-19 pandemics median waiting time was 90(15-300) days, and after the COVID-19 pandemics median waiting time was 135(10-365) days.In the majority of the patients referred for dental treatment in GA, indication for the procedure was established. Majority of the referred patients can be managed through a day- care surgery. COVID-19 pandemics is probably one of the reasons for the increased GA procedure waiting time.

triage ; dental treatment ; general anaesthesia ; day-care surgery

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