The learning curve in ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Whether laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) should be performed as an outpatient procedure is still under discussion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of surgeon's experience in ambulatory management of LC. Three hundred eighty-one consecutive elective LCs were planned as outpatient procedures. An anesthetic protocol that includes free-opiates anesthesia, preemptive analgesia, and somatovisceral blockade was used. Percentages of ambulatory, overnight, and admitted patients were evaluated, and time series variation was also analyzed. Postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting incidence, postoperative recovery, and complications were examined. Two hundred ninety-one patients were strictly ambulatory (76.3%), 71 (18.6%) required overnight admission, and 19 (4.9%) were admitted. Percentage of ambulatory LC increased from 22% to 90% in 4 years of experience. Readmission rate was 0.01%. Free-opiates anesthetic techniques, preemptive analgesia, and somatovisceral blockade allowed us to obtain over 90% of ambulatory LC. The learning curve related to postoperative evaluation is crucial in obtaining those results.     

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in day surgery: Feasibility and outcomes of the first 400 patients

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in a day surgery setting in Italy.Material and methodsBetween March 2003 and June 2011, in our institution 439 patients were selected for day surgery LC. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the procedure, postoperative complications, pain, nausea and vomiting were monitored at 4, 8, and 24 h after surgery. Patients admitted for an overnight stay or readmitted after discharging were also monitored.ResultsOver 8 years we performed 400 LC in day surgery setting and no conversion or major intraoperative complication were detected. A total of 387 patients (96.7%) were successfully discharged after 8–10 h of observation. Postoperative monitoring showed good pain control (mean VAS score 1.5) and only 3 (0.7%) of the 7 patients who experienced major pain were admitted. Twenty-seven patients (6.7%) experienced PONV and 9 (2.2%) of these required admission.None of the patients needed to be readmitted after discharging. The satisfaction questionnaire administered at 1 month office visit showed that 380 patients (95%) were satisfied with day surgery LC.ConclusionsOur success rate of 96.7% can be attributed to strict adherence to the patient selection criteria. The main reasons for hospital admission were pain and PONV; adequate control of these represents the key of success for day surgery LC. This study confirms the feasibility and safety of LC performed in day surgery setting.     

Anaesthesia in day case laparoscopic female sterilization: a comparison of two anaesthetic methods

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic sterilization (LS) in women is a procedure frequently carried out in a day case setting. The purpose of the study was to measure postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting (PONV), the incidence of unplanned overnight admissions and patient satisfaction with two different anaesthetic methods. METHODS: From August 1997 to January 1999 the LS patients were anaesthetized with propofol + fentanyl/alfentanil, N2O and atracurium, and from January 1999 to end of 2001 they were given TIVA with propofol + remifentanil. Postoperative pain was managed with standardized high doses of paracetamol and NSAID in both groups. Data were collected from hospital records and from questionnaires given to all the patients. RESULTS: Six hundred and eighty-one women were sterilized. There were no significant differences in postoperative pain between the two groups, with 8.2 and 12.1 per cent, respectively, experiencing severe pain. Significantly fewer patients experienced moderate or severe postoperative nausea after the introduction of remifentanil anaesthesia (3.3 vs. 11.7%, P = 0.001). Eleven patients (1.8%) were admitted overnight, with no difference between the two groups. 94.5% and 96.3% of the patients were either satisfied or very satisfied with their treatment (P = 0.50). CONCLUSION: Both anaesthetic methods provide equally good postoperative pain relief, few unplanned admissions and a high degree of patient satisfaction when combined with postoperative paracetamol and NSAID. Patients anaesthetized with remifentanil and propofol have less postoperative nausea.     

Gastric sleeve resection as day-case surgery: what affects the discharge time?

BackgroundSleeve gastrectomy, with its short operating time, is possible to perform as same-day surgery, with the most common reason for requiring overnight hospital stay being postoperative nausea and vomiting.ObjectiveTo demonstrate the feasibility and safety of sleeve gastrectomy as same-day surgery with regard to complication rate. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate factors determining the duration of hospital stay, such as type of anesthesia, time of procedure, degree of postoperative nausea and pain, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, or previous abdominal surgery.SettingNonacademic primary referral center.MethodsA substudy of a single-center, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Patients included in this study underwent sleeve gastrectomy and were randomized into 1 of the following 2 types of anesthesia: total intravenous anesthesia with propofol or desflurane. Primary endpoint was the number of patients discharged the same day as surgery. Secondary endpoints were unplanned telephone calls, readmission rate, and complication rate. Time of procedure was registered by the staff at the operation theatre. Visual analog scales score estimating patients’ intensity of pain and nausea were completed at the postoperative unit, surgical ward, and 24 to 48 hours postoperatively.ResultsNinety-three patients were included in the study. Fifty-nine (63%) were discharged the same day as surgery (32 desflurane and 27 total intravenous anesthesia), 30 patients (32%) were discharged 1 day after surgery, and 4 patients (4%) were discharged after >2 days (15 desflurane and 19 total intravenous anesthesia). The most common reasons for prolonged stay were pain, nausea, and fatigue. Statistical analyses showed no association between day of discharge and the type of anesthesia, time of the procedure, degree of postoperative nausea and vomiting, pain intensity, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, or previous abdominal surgery.ConclusionSame-day surgery is feasible and safe in terms of low complication rate. The type of anesthesia, time of procedure, degree of postoperative nausea and vomiting and pain, American Society of Anesthesiologists score and previous abdominal surgery does not appear to affect length of hospital stay.     

Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy for day surgery procedure: are we prepared?

Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) for cholecystectomy is a well-established procedure and represents the next step in developing the concept of fast track surgery. This report describes our experience with SILS cholecystectomy in patients that stay overnight. Between February 2009 and July 2010, patients referred for cholecystectomy to the day surgery unit who agreed to undergo SILS were included in a prospective study. All operations were performed by the same surgical team specially trained in this type of surgery and the same operative technique was used in all cases. Postoperative pain and nausea were assessed using a 10-cm visual analogue scale on a self-completion questionnaire on the night of operation and the morning of discharge. A total of 107 patients (58% women, mean age 56 years) with symptomatic gallstones were included in the study. SILS was successfully performed in all patients and no patient required conversion to an open procedure. There were no significant differences in the median visual analogue scale for postoperative pain and nausea between the night of surgery and the next morning. The mean length of hospital stay was 23 hours, and 98 per cent of patients were satisfied with the results of surgery and would be willing to undergo the same procedure again. SILS cholecystectomy is a valid alternative to standard laparoscopic cholecystectomy as an outpatient surgery or overnight stay procedure. According to these promising results, SILS cholecystectomy could be included in a major ambulatory surgery program.     

Safety and cost savings of endovascular procedures: are outpatient interventions feasible when combined with open surgery?

As increasing experience and comfort with endovascular interventions performed in an outpatient setting has occurred, the safety and cost effectiveness of performing these procedures without an overnight stay were analyzed, especially when endovascular procedures were combined with open vascular operations requiring an arteriotomy and surgical closure. Ninety patients underwent endovascular procedures alone or concomitantly with open, minor vascular operations to salvage a failing graft between February 1994 and June 1999. Patients undergoing endovascular interventions during primary lower extremity bypass or other major surgical procedures were not included in this review because they were not candidates for outpatient procedures. Balloon angioplasty alone (79) or angioplasty with stent placement (11) was performed to treat stenoses in 50 failing grafts, 16 iliac, 14 femoral, 5 tibial, and 5 axilla/subclavian arteries. A significant increase in outpatient procedures was accomplished as more experience was garnered with these techniques: 19% (8/42) between 1994 and 1996 vs 57% (28/48) between 1997 and 1999 (p = 0.001). Age and comorbidity did not play a role in determining the need for admission because there were no significant differences in patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, or hyperlipidemia and those admitted or discharged the same day (p > 0.05). Patients admitted for overnight observation tended to have longer mean operative times and more complex revascularizations than outpatients (110 vs 69 min, respectively; p < 0.0001). Twenty-seven patients underwent surgical exposure of the access vessel: 63% (17) were admitted and 37% (10) were discharged the same day. Sixty-three patients underwent a percutaneous procedure: 42% (27) were admitted and 58% (37) were discharged the same day. Outpatients were more likely to receive only local anesthesia (83%; 30/35) compared to patients admitted overnight (67%; 36/53); the remaining patients received spinal or epidural anesthesia. Complications included graft thrombosis within 30 days in 6% (5/90) of patients and arterial graft infection in 2% (2). No patient required surgery for bleeding. The average charges for outpatient interventions were $1980 compared to $10,026 for patients who stayed overnight (p < 0.0001). As vascular surgeons become more experienced and comfortable with outpatient endovascular procedures, especially when performed in combination with open minor vascular surgery, significant cost savings can be realized without sacrificing patient safety. Even when open surgical exposure is planned, patients should be instructed preoperatively to anticipate discharge the day of their procedure to minimize resistance to this strategy.     

Overnight admission of outpatient strabismus patients

The trend to outpatient strabismus surgery prompted us to determine the frequency of, and the reasons for, postoperative overnight hospital admission following such surgery. In one year, 303 outpatient strabotomies were performed at the Jules Stein Eye Institute on patients over 15 months old. Twenty-four (7.9%) were admitted overnight postoperatively. Compared with controls, those admitted were older (37 vs 20.5 years), and had a longer duration of anesthesia (145 vs 116 minutes) and surgery (104 vs 75 minutes) (P less than .01 for each). The time that surgery commenced and the use of perioperative medications were not significant factors. The most frequent reasons for overnight admission were nausea (38%) despite prophylaxis and the use of bilateral patches (16%). To minimize postoperative admissions, better strategies should be developed to decrease the frequency of significant postoperative nausea, the duration of surgery and anesthesia, and, if possible, the use of bilateral patches.     

149 ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomies

Background The purpose of this study was to compare ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) with overnight LC and to determine its safety and the factors which will predict its success. Methods Ambulatory LC was defined as LC followed by less than a 12-h stay in the ambulatory surgery unit; overnight LC was defined as LC followed by a hospital admission of less than 24 h. A retrospective chart review was completed. Results One hundred forty-nine ambulatory LC, were performed in an 18-month period. Ninety-one were successful (61%); 58 patients required overnight admission for pain management, control of nausea, or their reluctance to be discharged. There were five complications and no mortalities. The duration of the surgical procedure was the only significant objective factor we could find in predicting success of ambulatory LC. Conclusions We conclude that ambulatory LC is safe and effective in treating patients requiring cholecystectomy. The duration of the procedure and the patient’s own motivation are key factors in predicting success of early discharge. Presented at The Second International Congress of the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery, Madrid, Spain, 16 September 1994     

Ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy: An audit of day case vs overnight surgery at a community hospital in Japan

AIM: To evaluate the applicability and safety of ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and to compare day case and overnight stay LC.METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively and consecutively for day case and overnight stay LC patients from July 1, 2009 to April 30, 2011. Outcomes were analyzed for patient demographics, operation time, blood loss during operation and frequency and reasons for unexpected or prolonged hospitalization in each group.RESULTS: There was no hospital mortality and no patient was readmitted with serious morbidity after discharge. 50 patients received a day case LC and 19 had an overnight stay LC. There was a significant difference in age between both groups (P < 0.02). There were no significant differences between the day case LC performed (n = 41) and failed (n = 9) groups and between the day case LC performed and the one night stay LC (n = 12) groups. There was a significant difference in age between the one night stay and more nights stay LC groups (P < 0.05). Thus, elderly patients showed a tendency to like to stay in hospital rather than being a day case. The proportion of unexpected or prolonged hospitalization was not significantly different between the day case and overnight stay LC groups, when the patient’s request was excluded.CONCLUSION: Day case LC can be performed with a low rate of complications. In overnight stay patients, there are many who could be performed safely as a day case. Moreover, we need to take special care to treat elderly patients.     

Comparison of Outpatient Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in a Private Nonteaching Hospital versus a Private Teaching Community Hospital

The development of laparoscopic cholecystectomy has allowed the introduction of outpatient surgery for biliary tract disease. However, there appears to be a wide variation of the interpretation of “outpatient surgery,” ranging from discharge the same day to keeping patients for overnight observation. We prospectively reviewed the last 50 cholecystectomies performed at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, a private teaching institution, and Upstate Carolina Medical Center, a private nonteaching hospital.All cholecystectomies were performed by board certified surgeons or surgical residents under the supervision of board certified surgeons. Spartanburg Regional Medical Center''s standard was 23-hour observation with 9 patients (18%) being discharged home the day of surgery. Upstate Carolina Medical Center''s standard was discharge home (usually 4-8 hours after completion of the procedure) with 39 patients (78%) discharged the same day. No patient discharged the same day presented back with any significant complication. Comorbid disease, biliary pancreatitis, ascending cholangitis, gangrenous gallbladder, extreme age and living conditions and conversion to open were factors considered for admission. Intra-operative difficulty such as oozing, excessive adhesiolysis, postoperative nausea, vomiting or pain control were also indications for overnight admissions.The extra 15 to 19 hours for routine observation did not change any treatment for any of the 41 patients and resulted in additional cost to the hospital of approximately $15,000.We conclude that same day, outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be done safely with discharge home 4 to 8 hours postoperative without significant morbidity in selective patients.     

Total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol and alfentanil protects against postoperative nausea and vomiting

The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting and requirements for anti-emetic medication were assessed in 80 female patients undergoing day-case anaesthesia during assisted conception therapy. Anaesthesia was induced with alfentanil 50 micrograms.kg-1 and propofol 1 mg.kg-1; atracurium 0.5 mg.kg-1 was given to facilitate tracheal intubation. The patients were allocated to receive either total intravenous maintenance of anaesthesia with an infusion of propofol and increments of alfentanil (Group P) or inhalational maintenance of anaesthesia with nitrous oxide and enflurane (Group E). Postoperative nausea, retching, vomiting, requirements for anti-emetic therapy, and unplanned admission for overnight stay in hospital were recorded. Overall incidence of nausea was 64% in group E and 39% in Group P (P less than 0.05). Incidence of vomiting was 67% in Group E and 34% in Group P (P less than 0.05). Metoclopramide was requested by 62% of patients in Group E, and 32% of those in Group P (P less than 0.05); 21% of the patients in Group E were admitted to hospital overnight, while only 5% of the patients in Group P required unscheduled admission to hospital (P less than 0.05). We conclude that total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol and alfentanil is superior to inhalational maintenance with nitrous oxide and enflurane in that it is associated with less nausea and vomiting, less requirement for anti-emetic medication, and a lower probability of unplanned admission to hospital after day-care gynaecological surgery.     

Contemporary outcomes of ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a major teaching hospital

mbulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy is an established practice in our institution, with an experience of more than 800 cases. The present study is conducted to evaluate the contemporary outcomes of day-case laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the setting of a major teaching hospital. A retrospective analysis of 200 patients who underwent ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomies was performed to evaluate the postoperative morbidity, unplanned admission, and readmission rates. Causes for unanticipated admission and readmission were analyzed. Uneventful recovery was attained in 185 (92.5%) patients. The mean length of the operation was 56 ± 20 (SD) minutes. There was no hospital mortality, and no patient required conversion to open cholecystectomy. Nine patients were admitted overnight after operation because of nausea and vomitingn = 3), pain (n = 2), urinary retention (n = 2), medical observation n = 1), and patient’s preference (n= 1), leading to an unanticipated admission rate of 4.5%. Six patients required readmission because of postoperative complicationsn = 4) and abdominal pain (n = 2), giving a readmission rate of 3%. The overall postoperative morbidity rate was 3% (n = 6), including retained stones n = 4), bile leakage (n = 1), and hepatic subcapsular hematoma (n = 1). Ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe practice in appropriately selected patients. Postoperative nausea and vomiting was the commonest reason for unanticipated admission after operation, and retained stones was the most frequent postoperative morbidity necessitating readmission.     

日间手术及加速康复外科用于胸腔镜胸交感神经切除术的探索及实践

目的探索日间手术及加速康复外科(enhanced recovery after surgery, ERAS)胸交感神经切除术应用的安全性、可行性。 方法回顾性分析2016年1月至2020年12月期间,深圳市第三人民医院胸外科657例接受胸交感神经切除术的原发性多汗症(primary hyperhidrosis, PHH)患者资料,其中男273例、女384例,年龄14~43岁、平均(24±5)岁,分为日间组及过夜组。分析两组的住院时间、手术时间、并发症、满意度、术后代偿性出汗、手术预约取消率、非计划再次手术、非计划再次住院等指标。 结果两组手术时间、麻醉时间、手术有效、代偿性出汗发生、非计划再次手术、非计划再次住院等,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。相比过夜组,日间组住院时间短[(9.6±1.1)h比(24.8±6.6)h, P<0.05],术后恶心和呕吐少(7例比23例,P<0.05),手术预约取消率高(15例比0例,P<0.05),患者满意度高[90分(90分,95分)比85分(80分,90分)]。 结论日间手术及ERAS理念可安全应用于胸腔镜胸交感神经切除术。     

Outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Hong Kong Chinese -- an outcome analysis

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is now the procedure of choice for symptomatic gallbladder disease. Although many recent studies, mostly from abroad, report that it can be performed safely in the outpatient setting, the experience of outpatient LC in Hong Kong is still limited. This retrospective study evaluated the feasibility, safety and patient acceptance of outpatient LC in Hong Kong Chinese patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The data of 73 consecutive patients who had undergone outpatient LC between February 2000 and October 2002 in the Day Surgery Centre of Tung Wah Hospital were prospectively collected and reviewed. The selection criteria for patients undergoing outpatient LC included American Society of Anesthesiologists risk classification I or II, age less than 70 years, and the availability of a competent adult to accompany the patient home and look after them for 24 hours. No effort was made to exclude complicated cases. After assessment by the operating surgeon, patients were discharged from the Day Surgery Centre in the afternoon when their clinical condition satisfied pre-defined discharge criteria. All patients were followed up in the Day Surgery Centre in the first and fourth postoperative weeks. RESULTS: The same-day discharge rate was 88% and the conversion rate was 4%. Six patients (8.2%) with uneventful LC required hospitalization after the procedure. There was no major complication and no unplanned admission. Two patients had port site wound infection requiring hospital admission at the first follow-up. Patient satisfaction was high, pain acceptance was good, and analgesic consumption was minimal. Mild fat intolerance was common in patients postoperatively (> 50%), but this had almost all resolved by postoperative week four. All patients were able to resume their usual daily activities within 2 weeks after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: LC is a safe and feasible outpatient procedure in Hong Kong, with high levels of patient satisfaction. A prospective study with a larger patient population is warranted to verify whether it should be recommended as treatment for gallstone disease in selected patients in future.     

Day-only laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a regional teaching hospital

Background: Day‐only laparoscopic cholecystectomy (DOLC) has been demonstrated to be a safe and feasible procedure. The aim of the present study was to introduce DOLC to a busy teaching hospital without a separate day‐surgery facility, to identify any problems associated with early discharge, and to determine patient satisfaction. Methods: Over a 2‐year period, all patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy under one surgeon were prospectively studied. Patients satisfying criteria for DOLC were offered the procedure. All patients were sent anonymous satisfaction surveys postoperatively. Results: One hundred and one patients underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomies and 41 of these patients were booked for DOLC. Thirty‐three (80%) were successfully discharged the same day and there were no complications related to early discharge. Only two of eight unplanned admissions were because of postoperative pain or nausea. Thirty‐two (78%) of DOLC patients replied to our survey and of those, 24 (78%) were satisfied with their length of stay. The extra strain placed on day‐stay ward resources was reflected in patient survey comments on their care. Conclusions: Our findings support the evidence that DOLC is safe and feasible. However, in a busy teaching hospital with tight budget constraints and no separate day‐surgery facility we found many patients satisfied with their length of stay but not always with the quality of care they received on the day‐stay ward. The latter was insufficiently equipped to handle procedures of this complexity. So although in theory DOLC has many advantages, we are unable to institute this as routine practice at this time.     

Course of postoperative pain in laparoscopic cholecystectomy under multimodal anesthesia-analgesia in ambulatory care

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the evolution of postoperative pain and convalescence in a group of patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy under a multimodal anesthesia-analgesia treatment protocol. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Eighty-four consecutive patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were given intramuscular ketoprofen during induction, anesthesia, with minimal use of opioids, and intraperitoneal irrigation with bupivacaine. We assessed the rate of conversion to hospitalization, hospital stay in hours, duration of the pain-free interval, oral analgesics per day at home, and intensity of postoperative pain and physical activity daily on a visual analog scale. RESULTS: The procedures were carried out on an outpatient basis in 90.5% of the cases, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was 7.2 +/- 0.9 hours. Eight patients required an overnight stay. No postoperative analgesics were required by 27.3% of the patients. Patients requiring analgesics had pain-free intervals lasting 17.3 +/- 11.8 hours after discharge. On the third day after surgery 80% had used no analgesics and over 75% had no pain or only minor pain. On the fourth postoperative day 50% were able to perform activities of daily living without help, and 50% returned to work on the eleventh day after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The multimodal analgesia-anesthesia treatment proposed allows a high percentage of laparoscopic cholecystectomies to be performed on an outpatients basis. The protocol provides good control of postoperative pain and nausea and rapid return to habitual activity.     

Factors determining length of stay of surgical day-case patients

BACKGROUND: AND OBJECTIVE: Factors which lead to prolonged stay in the day-care unit and unplanned admission after day-case surgery are poorly understood. METHODS: Data sets of 3152 day-case patients were collected with a computerized online record keeping system (NarkoData). Predictors of prolonged postoperative stay including unanticipated admission were identified using univariate analysis. Charts of patients, who needed admission, were reviewed. RESULTS: 13.2% of day-case patients had a postoperative stay < or = 3 h, 55.3% 3-6 h and 26.2% > or = 6 h. The rate of unanticipated admission was 5.4%. Intraoperative haemoglobin concentration and blood loss were the best predictors of a prolonged postoperative stay. Other significant predictors were female gender, advanced age, longer duration of surgery, larger volume of infusions, intubation, spinal anaesthesia, intraoperative use of opioids and non-depolarizing muscle relaxants, high pain score, nausea and vomiting and prolonged preoperative waiting time. Chart review of patients admitted to hospital confirmed the validity of the statistically significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: In day-case surgery, the predictors of prolonged stay in the day-care unit and unplanned Hospital admission are mainly related to the surgical procedure.     

Analgesia with femoral nerve block for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is performed routinely as an outpatient surgical procedure despite few studies of patient acceptance or postoperative patient analgesia. This study reports the first series of postoperative femoral nerve blocks as analgesia for outpatient anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. The authors retrospectively reviewed 161 patients undergoing two incision arthroscopically assisted autograft middle 1/3 patellar tendon anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction on an out-patient basis at the authors' institution during a period of 30 months. Hospital and anesthesia records were reviewed, and 83% of patients were contacted retrospectively to survey their perceptions of the procedure and its outcome. Ninety-eight percent of the patients were discharged from the ambulatory surgery center, with 51% discharged the same day as the surgery and 47% discharged by 7:00 AM the next day. As the study progressed, the number of patients staying overnight was reduced by 50%. Ninety-eight percent of patients surveyed found femoral nerve block to be beneficial, and the same percentage thought the discharge time was appropriate. However, 69% of patients staying overnight cited reasons other than pain as factors in their stay. No significant complications were reported. Based on these results, the administration of a femoral nerve block is recommended for patients undergoing outpatient anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction because it is a highly effective form of analgesia with an excellent degree of patient satisfaction.     

Outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A prospective study with 100 consecutive patients

One hundred patients with cholelithiasis were included in a prospective consecutive follow-up study to evaluate laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a day surgical setting. The median operating time was 70 min. In 96% of the patients, it was possible to perform peroperative cholangiography. The median time off work was 7 days and the median time to full recovery was 14 days. Five patients were admitted due to weakness/nausea. Six patients were admitted due to conversion to open surgery or choledocholithiasis. Eighty-nine patients were treated in ambulatory surgery. We conclude that laparoscopic outpatient cholecystectomy can be performed safely with a low unplanned admission rate.     

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background: This study was undertaken to determine if patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy may be discharged home 4 h postoperatively with similar outcomes as patients admitted overnight. Methods: Patients were randomized to an outpatient group (OP), consisting of patients who were discharged after a 4-h stay in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), or to an inpatient group. Variables compared between the two groups included patient demographics; degree of postoperative pain, nausea, vomiting, and patient satisfaction; amount of pain and nausea medication taken; and number of phone calls, readmissions, or complications. Statistical analysis was performed with students t-test, Fisher's exact test, and Wilcoxon's signed rank and rank sums tests as appropriate. Results: Eighty patients were initially enrolled. Two were converted and 4 required admission after being randomized to the OP group. Patients in the OP group received more oral pain medication prior to PACU discharge. Degree of pain, number of phone calls, readmission and complication rates, and patient satisfaction were similar between both groups. Of the 4 unexpected admissions, all were identified within the 4-h PACU stay. Conclusions: Patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy who are discharged home 4 h postoperatively will experience the same satisfaction with no increase in complications as patients admitted overnight.