Preoperative evaluation and risk assessment scoring

Proper assessment of patients before surgery is of paramount importance to avoid untoward surgical and anesthetic events. Assessment should include history, a thorough physical examination, and tests directed at specific diagnosis in select patients. Current evidence indicates that many tests that are routinely performed are unnecessary and do not alter management or outcome. Various scoring systems have been employed for assessment of risk of patients and comparison of performance between surgical units but none have passed into routine practice.