Background:

Major ambulatory surgery includes procedures or major interventions in which, with general or regional anesthesia and after a variable time of monitoring and observation, the patient returns home the same day of the intervention.

Objective:

To expose the historical background of major ambulatory surgery internationally and in Cuba.

Methodology:

A review of the historical background of the major ambulatory surgery through the bibliographic searching in Infomed, Pubmed and SciELO databases, as well as in scientific event memories and theses was made.

Results:

Although mayor ambulatory surgery is the oldest form of surgery known, since the last century it has become popular and widespread and it currently represents up to 80 % of elective major surgery. In Cuba the first approaches to this modality were made at the end of the 70s of the last century having an upward development. Both, internationally and in Cuba, the need for cooperation between the primary and secondary health care levels for this activity has been understood by health professionals.

Conclusions:

Major ambulatory surgery has become an essential surgical modality in everyday health care practice, which has endured and grew up due to the undeniable advantages that it offers to all those involved in the care process and which is perfectible based on the collaborative postulates between primary and secondary health care levels.

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