Day-case laparoscopic cholecystectomy: results of 211 consecutive patients.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this work was to evaluate the feasibility and outcome of elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy as a day-case procedure in a French university hospital.


METHODS
Since the creation of a surgical day-care centre in 1999, patients without severe chronic disease and anticoagulant therapy were selected for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. They were admitted and operated on in the morning hours and discharged after a double check by the surgeon and an anaesthetist 4 to 6 hours later. They were contacted by telephone the day subsequent to surgery and were seen in the outpatient unit 8 to 10 days after.


RESULTS
Two hundred eleven laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed in day-care surgery from January 1999 to December 2005. The proportion of day-case management increased during the six-year period from 32% to 53%. Eighteen percent of patients had an overnight admission. The overall complication rate was 1.8%. None of the patients had an emergency readmission. Incapacity duration went from 1 to 15 days.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be routinely performed as a day-case procedure.
Proske
Jan Martin
JM
Department of Surgery, AP-HP, Antoine Béclère Hospital, University Paris XI, Clamart, France.
Dagher
Ibrahim
I
Revitea
Claudiu
C
Carloni
Alessio
A
Beauthier
Violaine
V
Labaille
Thierry
T
Vons
Corinne
C
Franco
Dominique
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013997:Time Factors