Uğur Serkan ÇİTİLCİOĞLU, Mehmet ÖZALEVLİ, Hakkı ÜNLÜGENÇ, Ümit KARA
Çukurova Anestezi ve Cerrahi Bilimler Dergisi - 2026;9(1):28-33
Aim: Preoperative evaluation is essential for anesthesia planning and perioperative safety. However, the optimal extent of preoperative history-taking in low-risk patients remains debated. This study aimed to compare the effects of short- versus long-form preoperative history-taking on anesthesia management and perioperative complications in American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I patients. Methods: This prospective, randomized study included 750 ASA I adult patients undergoing elective surgery at a single tertiary care center. Participants were randomly assigned to either a short-form (5-question, n = 375) or a long-form (26-question, n = 375) questionnaire. The primary outcome was perioperative complication rates to assess the safety of the short form. Secondary outcomes evaluated whether questionnaire type influenced the duration of preoperative evaluation, number of consultation requests, and anesthesia techniques used. Results: No significant differences were observed between groups in intraoperative complications (p = 0.70) or postoperative complications (p = 0.36). The mean duration of preoperative history-taking was significantly shorter in the short-form group (38.52 +/- 7.99 seconds) than in the long-form group (103.17 +/- 19.27 seconds; p < 0.001). Consultation requirements were identical (4 patients per group), and no significant differences were found in anesthesia techniques (p = 0.340). Conclusions: In ASA I patients, a short-form preoperative questionnaire provides sufficient clinical information and significantly reduces preoperative evaluation time without increasing consultation requirements, altering anesthesia techniques, or affecting perioperative complication rates compared with a long-form questionnaire. These findings support the adoption of concise history-taking protocols in low-risk surgical candidates to improve clinical efficiency.
