EARLY DISCHARGE FOLLOWING MAJOR GYNECOLOGICAL SURGERY

This prospective study was to assess the safety and acceptability to p atients of early discharge after major gynaecological surgery. Selecti ve patients who fulfilled certain criteria were offered early discharg e after their operations. Forty patients were discharged within 72 hou rs. Fourteen of them had undergone abdominal hysterectomy, 5 with a mi d-line incision; 13 had vaginal hysterectomy; 9 laparoscopy and laparo tomy for ectopic pregnancy; 3 laparotomy for ovarian surgery and 1 a M anchester repair. The patients were discharged home on average 2.4 day s after their operations. All were satisfied with their pain relief at home. There were 4 postdischarge complications. Two had superficial d rip-site phlebitis, 1 a possible urinary tract infection and 1 a wound abscess. There was only 1 readmission 2 weeks post discharge for cons tipation. Thirty-one out of 40 (77.5%) of the patients had expressed t hat the home environment was more conductive to speedy recovery and 92 .5% of the patients would choose early discharge again if given the op tion.