Pk. Narain et Ej. Demaria, INITIAL RESULTS OF A PROSPECTIVE TRIAL OF OUTPATIENT LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY, Surgical endoscopy, 11(11), 1997, pp. 1091-1094
Background: Whether or not laparoscopic cholecystectomy may be perform
ed safely as an outpatient procedure is controversial. In 1993, a prot
ocol for outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy was instituted to det
ermine the benefits and safety of discharging patients within several
hours of surgery. Methods: The initial 60 outpatient laparoscopic chol
ecystectomies performed by one surgeon in a hospital-based outpatient
teaching facility between February 1993 to June 1996 were prospectivel
y studied. Results: Fifty-eight (97%) patients were discharged success
fully after an average stay in the recovery room of 3 h. There were no
deaths. Two patients required overnight observation and three patient
s required readmission. Two patients (3%) had cystic duct leak. The av
erage hospital stay for all patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecyst
ectomy at the institution (inpatient and outpatient) decreased from 3.
2 to 1.5 days and the average hospital cost decreased from $7,800 to $
4,600 during this period, Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in
an outpatient setting is safe and cost-effective in healthy patients.