Abstract:With the rapid aging of the Chinese population, the number of elderly patients undergoing day surgery has continued to increase. Elderly patients are frequently characterized by multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and diminished physiological reserve, placing them at substantially higher perioperative risk than the general adult population. However, there remains a lack of dedicated recommendations for the perioperative management of day surgery in elderly patients, both in China and internationally. To standardize perioperative management for this population, the National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (Xiangya Hospital of Central South University), in collaboration with the International Joint Research Center of Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Technology, Equipment and Standards, convened a multidisciplinary panel of experts to develop the Expert consensus on day surgery management for elderly patients (2026 edition) based on a systematic review of the available evidence and extensive clinical experience. This consensus addresses the entire perioperative pathway of day surgery in elderly patients and presents 16 recommendations covering key aspects, including preoperative eligibility assessment, preoperative optimization, intraoperative anesthesia management, perioperative temperature management, enhanced postoperative recovery, discharge management, and post-discharge follow-up. The consensus aims to provide scientific, standardized, and practical guidance for clinical practice across healthcare institutions, improve the safety and quality of day surgery for elderly patients, and promote the standardized implementation of day surgery in the elderly population.