Why are there differences in the perceived safety of office-based surgery?

[BACKGROUND] Office-based surgery has become an important method of health-care delivery, but there is controversy about its safety and which practitioners should perform it. Several states have already or are preparing to enact legislation regulating office-based surgery.

[OBJECTIVE] The objective was to discuss recent literature pertaining to the safety of office surgery and to discuss reasons why there are perceived differences in its safety.

[METHODS] The pertinent literature is reviewed. Results. The majority of studies suggest that office surgery is safe. A recent study that found to the contrary may have methodologic flaws.

[CONCLUSION] The medical and legislative community should seek to scientifically examine office surgery. Overregulation or loss of office surgery would have a tremendous impact on the management of skin cancers and the delivery of quality cosmetic and laser surgery.