Adequate fluid administration for ambulatory anesthesia has not been widely studied because most patients are healthy and operations are short durations and not invasive. However, long pre-operative nothing per os (NPO) time is known to affect post-operative complications like pain, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, thirsty, sore throat, or well-being sensation. And amount of administered fluid or inclusion of dextrose during the operation could exercise great influence on those symptoms. Therefore, we compared four fluid regimens; 5% dextrose water 2 ml/kg (D/W2), 20 ml/kg (D/W20) and Hartmann's solution 2 ml/kg (H/S2), 20 ml/kg (H/S20) regarding to post-operative complications of ambulatory anesthesia.

One hundred and sixty ambulatory anesthesia patients of ASA 1 or 2 undergoing general anesthesia or monitored anesthesia care were randomly assigned into D/W2, D/W20, H/S2 or H/S20. Each group of patients received 5% dextrose water 2 ml/kg, 20 ml/kg, Hartmann's solution 2 ml/kg, or 20 ml/kg for 30 min, respectively. Complications like pain, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, thirsty, sore throat, or well-being sensation of patients were checked with systemized questionnaire check box graded 4 scales at recovery room, at evening and at 24 hours later.

H/S20 group was better in nausea, thirsty and well-being sensation. Sixteen percent of patients showed hypoglycemia before anesthesia. Dextrose water resulted transient hyperglycemia and osmotic diuresis.

Large amount of Hartmann's solution was generally better regarding post-operative complications. We should pay attention at peri-operative hypoglycemia for ambulatory anesthesia.