• Carlo Missant and Marc Van de Velde.
• Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospitals Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
• Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2004 Aug 1;17(4):323-7.

Purpose Of ReviewThe purpose of this review is to provide information related to morbidity and mortality associated with anaesthesia outside the operating room.Recent FindingsThere is an increasing demand for anaesthesia at remote locations. Because of its specific characteristics, resulting from the location and the patient, morbidity and mortality rates of remote location anaesthesia could differ from conventional operating room anaesthesia. However, no studies are currently available. On the basis of morbidity and mortality data from conventional operating room anaesthesia, we reached some important conclusions with regard to the safety of anaesthesia outside the operating room. A well-equipped anaesthesia machine, standard monitoring (electrocardiogram, oxygen saturation and non-invasive blood pressure), trained personnel and adequate planning should be standard for all out of the operating room procedures. When all these are in place, the incidence of morbidity or mortality should be comparable to that of anaesthesia provided in the operating room.SummaryThere is certainly a need for studies concerning morbidity and mortality at remote location anaesthesia. Special care for the prevention of hypothermia should be given to those patients undergoing long-lasting diagnostic procedures, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging scans or cardiological investigations.

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