To assess and compare the safety and quality of the management of sinonasal surgery (all procedures) between day-case and traditional admission.

A 2-year retrospective study included all patients undergoing functional septonasal surgery, ethmoidectomy, middle antrostomy, frontal sinusotomy or endoscopic sphenoidotomy, as day-surgery on inpatient admission. Demographic, operative, pre- and post-operative anesthetic data, complications, and rates of emergency consultation and readmission within 30 days were collected and compared between out- and in-patients.

Nine hundred and nine patients were included: 569 functional septonasal surgeries, 180 ethmoidectomies, 101 middle meatotomies, 40 Draf procedures and 19 sphenoidotomies; respectively 60%, 21%, 54%, 20% and 37% were performed in the day-surgery unit. There were no significant differences in number of emergency consultations or readmissions between the out- and in-patient groups. There were more complications in in-patients (P<0.0001) (4.9% anticoagulant and 12% antiplatelet treatments, 18% obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndromes). The conversion rate to conventional admission was 4.6%. Antiplatelet treatment or postoperative nasal packing were not significant risk factors for complications or readmission.

Outpatient sinonasal surgery does not seem to incur extra risk for the patient or surgeon when eligibility criteria are met.