Medical aspects of fitness to drive

Abstract

Recovery from anaesthesia should be defined as the return of a patient to the physical and mental state enjoyed beforehand. In clinical practice the patient is too commonly regarded as 'recovered' from the anaesthetic when he or she is responding to commands in the Recovery Room, whereas for the patient 'recovery' signifies return to normal independent existence.' For short stay procedures the patient will commonly be leaving hospital before recovery is complete and with nineteen million driving licences currently issued, inevitably many patients will wish to know when they will be able to drive following anaesthesia.