ALNSF

Patients are assessed preoperatively and placed in one of five categories irrespective of the type of surgery planned. However, the patient’s surgical needs and any relevant acute medical problems are taken into account.

ASA 1: «Normal healthy patient». No systemic, physiological or psychiatric disorders. The disorder to be treated is localised and there is no general systemic disease. Smokes less than 5 cigarettes per day. Under 80 years of age.

Example: Healthy 50 year-old non-smoker, planned operation for varicose veins.

ASA 2: Patients with mild systemic disease causing no functional limitations, but possibly requiring special measures with regard to anesthesia. The disease may be caused by the condition to be treated or by some other pathological process.

Over 80 years old or under 3 months old. Smokes more than 5 cigarettes per day.

Examples: Mild heart disease; diabetes without systemic effects (types I and II); controlled hypertension.

ASA 3: Patient with severe systemic disease causing some functional limitations.

Examples: Diabetes with organ dysfunction; invalidising heart disease; moderate to severe lung disease; angina pectoris; heart attack (more than 6 months ago).

ASA 4: Patient with severe life-threatening systemic disease, which may or may not be related to the reason for surgery.

Examples: Malign hypertension; recent heart attack (less than 6 months ago); severe systemic dysfunction of the liver, kidneys, lungs or endocrine system; severe heart failure; unstable angina pectoris; SAB (patient awake or drowsy).

ASA 5: A moribund patient who is not expected to survive the next 24 hours, with or without surgery.

Examples: Patient in shock with an aortic aneurysm. Deeply comatose patient with intracranial bleeding.