BACKGROUND: Midazolam is often used as an anxiolytic premedication before surgery. But preoperatively administered midazolam may contribute to postopertive sedation and delayed recovery from general anesthesia. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of midazolam premedication on postoperative recovery and discharge-readiness after brief outpatient surgery. METHODS: Sixty healthy ASA physical status I women scheduled for outpatient diagnostic laparoscopic surgery were considered for the study. They were randomly allocated to one of two groups. Group one received normal saline (N/S) 5 ml intravenously (IV), while group two received IV midazolam 0.04 mg/kg. The study drug was prepared in 5 ml of saline and administered 10 minutes before the induction of general anesthesia. General anesthesia was induced with fentanyl, propofol and vecuronium and was maintained with N2O and enflurane. Postanesthetic recovery (PAR) scores were recorded after the arrival of the patients in the postanesthetic recovery room. Sedation was quantified before and after premedication and 60, 120 minutes after arriving in the postanesthetic recovery room, using the symbol-digit-modalities test (SDMT) and trail-making test (TMT). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to age, weight and anesthesia time. There were no significant differences in PAR scores or PAR-stay time between two groups. SDMT and TMT scores were significantly different 5 minutes after the study's drug administration, and 60 minutes after arrival in the postanesthetic recovery room between the two groups. The incidence of side effects was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Midazolam premedication proved effective in sedation and anxiolysis without prolonging postanesthetic recovery and discharge times for outpatient general anesthesia.