Ambulatory pediatric ophthalmic surgery.

A retrospective analysis of 100 consecutive cases of ambulatory pediatric ophthalmic surgery was performed. The diagnoses included strabismus surgery, nasolacrimal duct probing, and excision of chalazion. The hospital stay was extended in only two cases and that was due to vomiting. This is a known side effect of halothane anesthesia and falls well within the known incidence of this occurrence. Ambulatory surgery appears to be a very viable method for short-stay surgery in children.