Preoperative assessment: General principles

The number of diagnostic and interventional procedures performed outside the operating room (OR) has increased dramatically over the last several years. There are multiple challenges involved in anesthesia provided to patients outside the OR. With improvements in technology for interventional procedures outside the OR, older, younger and sicker patients who may be inoperable are scheduled for these procedures. Appropriate preoperative assessment and optimization of medical status are important aspects of our practice. Safe patient care can be enhanced by adequate patient assessment in the preoperative period, appropriate patient selection and use of targeted interventions to improve outcomes.