LENGTH OF HOSPITAL STAY FOLLOWING ELECTIVE ABDOMINAL AORTIC-ANEURYSM REPAIR

Objectives: To investigate factors associated with a prolonged hospita l stay after elective open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurys m. Patients and methods: We have investigated prospectively base-line risk factors associated with an increased length of postoperative hosp ital stay in 474 of the patients undergoing surgery as part of the U.K . Small Aneurysm Trial. Results: The median length of hospital stay wa s 11 days (interquartile range 9-14 days). Age (within the range 60-76 years), sex, body mass index, aneurysm diameter, graft type (tube ol bifurcated), hospital (university or other), ECG characteristics, angi na (from Rose questionnaire) and/or previous myocardial infarction wer e not associated with length of hospital stay. Quality of life also te as assessed before surgery using the Medical Outcomes Study SF20. Psyc hosocial aspects including level of social functioning, role functioni ng, mental health, health perceptions and pain were not associated wit h length of postoperative stay. The level of preoperative physical fun ctioning was associated inversely with length of hospital stay, p = 0. 004. Patients' length of hospital stay also was inversely associated w ith preoperative lung function: FEV,, p = 0.011 and FVC, p = 0.006. In contrast, smoking habit was of only borderline significance, p = 0.09 . Conclusion: Conditional logistic regression analysis identified only preoperative lung function (FEV1 and FVC) and physical functioning, t hree intrinsically linked factors, as predictors of length of hospital stay after elective repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.