title: Short stay thyroidectomy in a tertiary care hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many procedures which earlier required a prolonged stay in hospital are now being performed on a short stay basis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 1989 we adopted a policy of 'short stay thyroidectomy' defined as a postoperative stay of less than 48 hours. Till 1992, 162 patients were included in this study. After early drain removal at 16-43 hours (median 38), these patients were discharged 18-45 hours (median 41) after surgery. We recorded the postoperative drainage of 155 of these patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 162 patients, 156 were discharged within 48 hours after surgery. No patient developed any complication which required re-admission and there was a fall in the amount of drainage within 12-18 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short stay thyroidectomy is feasible in a developing country.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Endocrine Sciences, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mishra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D013997:Time Factors