Objective: to evaluate the feasibility of an ambulatory laparoscopic cholec
ystectomy program,
Design: prospective analysis of ambulatory cases, overnight stay percentage
, unexpected admission rate, postoperative complications and readmissions.
Patients: 271 consecutive patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecy
stectomy.
Results: ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy was completed in 193 out o
f 271 patients, reaching a 71.2 percent for the whole series. Ambulatory pa
tients increased along with the experience of the team from a 22.9 percent
in 1997 to 91.4 per cent in 2000. Sixty four patients (23.6%) had to be hos
pitalized overnight, Finally 14 patients had to be admitted (5.2%). The per
centage of postoperative complications was 7.7%
Conclusions: ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a feasible and safe
procedure with no increase in morbidity that can be performed in up to 90
per cent of patients.