Which ASA physical status category is assigned to a healthy patient undergoing elective surgery with no systemic disease?

Explanation

## ASA Physical Status Classification Overview **Key Point:** ASA I represents a healthy patient with no systemic disease, scheduled for elective surgery. This is the lowest-risk category with minimal perioperative morbidity and mortality. ### ASA Classification Categories | ASA Class | Definition | Perioperative Risk | Examples | |-----------|-----------|-------------------|----------| | **ASA I** | Healthy patient, no systemic disease | Minimal | Young, fit patient for elective procedure | | **ASA II** | Mild systemic disease, no functional limitation | Low | Controlled hypertension, mild diabetes, obesity | | **ASA III** | Severe systemic disease, functional limitation | Moderate | Poorly controlled diabetes, severe COPD, CAD | | **ASA IV** | Severe systemic disease, constant threat to life | High | Unstable angina, sepsis, severe aortic stenosis | | **ASA V** | Moribund patient, not expected to survive 24 hrs | Very High | Ruptured AAA, massive trauma | | **ASA VI** | Brain-dead patient for organ procurement | N/A | Declared brain death | **High-Yield:** ASA I and II are considered "low-risk" for elective surgery. ASA III and above carry progressively higher perioperative morbidity and mortality. **Clinical Pearl:** The suffix "E" (emergency) can be added to any ASA class (e.g., ASA IIE) to denote an emergency procedure, which increases risk by approximately one ASA class. **Mnemonic:** **H-M-S-S-M** = Healthy (I), Mild disease (II), Severe disease (III), Severe with threat to life (IV), Moribund (V), (brain-dead) (VI).