ABSTRACT
Elective orthopaedic patients tend to be at the extremes of age. They may have multi-system disease and the procedures can have special hazards with anaesthetic implications. The necessary pre-anaesthetic investigation of patients scheduled for elective orthopaedic surgery will vary according to the nature of the proposed surgery and the health of the patient. Some general principles can, however, be stated. Difficulty with intubation, surgery for spinal deformities, prevention of deep venous thrombosis, and local anaesthesia merit further discussion.
