Health trend: Outpatient surgery is on the rise in the Czech Republic

Surgical procedures that once required a lot of time and planning – think varicose veins, hernias, or even a meniscus tear – can now be safely and conveniently performed in an outpatient surgery center or clinic.

Surgical care that doesn’t require staying in the hospital overnight has many benefits. For the patient, the main advantage is the fact that most outpatient surgery procedures use minimally invasive methods. This in turn means minimal disturbance to the body and much faster recovery time so you can go back to your normal life as quickly as possible.

Additionally, the fact that the patient is able to leave the clinic almost immediately reduces the risk of hospital-acquired infections and shortens the period of time needed to be taken off work. Not to mention the fact that outpatient surgery tends to be less stressful than in-patient surgery – research shows that most people prefer to recover in the comfort of their own home, surrounded by a familiar environment.

These risks are particularly significant in the case of children. Because children are used to the microbiological environment of their home and tend to have antibodies suited to it, the risk for infection is lower at home than in a hospital, a place their immune system is not used to.

In addition, certain nosocomial (hospital) infections – especially Streptococci and Staphylococci – are specific to the hospital environment, where they tend to present in much more concentrated amounts than in the outside world – mostly because the hospital has a lot of ill patients.

"For pediatric patients, hospitalization can often be a greater stress than the surgery itself," emphasizes Dr. Libor Janeček, a respected specialist in the field of pediatric surgery with more than 25 years of experience.

Let’s face it – even the absolute best hospital is going to feel alien and become a rather unpleasant and stressful experience for children. Even with the presence of parents (and this isn’t always allowed), hospitalized children still need to adapt to a foreign environment and deal with the fear and boredom that comes with being in a hospital.

Outpatient surgery offers an easy, clear solution in the case of pediatric treatment and allows the child to go home right away, limiting stress and helping improve healing.

“The possibility of using outpatient surgery is also appreciated by parents of patients in our pediatric surgery department at the Waltrovka clinic in Prague,” says Dr. Rastislav Hromádka, Ph.D., orthopedist and chief physician at Canadian Medical. “A hospital admission is often more stressful for children than the operation itself, and therefore the effort to reduce the time spent in bed outside the home is absolutely essential."

Nowadays, outpatient surgery can be used to treat a number of common gynecological, urological, ocular, vascular, and orthopedic problems in both children and adults. For many of these surgeries, patients usually rest in bed for a short period of time immediately following the procedure before they’re allowed to go home on the same day. 

"The most popular outpatient surgical procedures performed in the Czech Republic include knee arthroscopy and bunion treatment with modern techniques,” says Dr. Hromádka. “Gradually, the number of patients who come for varicose vein surgery, surgery for all types of hernias, treatment of hemorrhoids and procedures in the field of aesthetic surgery is increasing. "

Patients who undergo an outpatient procedure will still receive excellent follow-up postoperative care until the end of treatment – with the added benefit that outpatient follow-up care tends to be easier to manage, as you can simply schedule a visit and receive more personalized attention and care. For those who are covered by Czech health insurance, outpatient surgical procedures are also fully covered by the insurance company.