Prolonged length of hospital stay in Denmark after nephrectomy.
BACKGROUND
Implementation of the principles of a fast-track surgical programme resulted in a decrease in the length of hospital stay after open nephrectomies. The aim of this study was to describe the regional distribution of nephrectomies, postoperative hospital stay and mortality.


METHODS
This study was based on data extracted from the Danish National Patient Registry for the 2000-2009-period.


RESULTS
A total of 6,790 nephrectomies were performed. The mean postoperative stay and mortality decreased from 10.1 days and 2.6% during the 2000-2004-period to 8.3 days (p > 0.05) and 1.7% (p < 0.05) during the 2005-2009-period. A significant decrease in length of postoperative stay (6.4 versus 9.0 days; p < 0.05) and mortality (0.9% versus 2.1%; p < 0.05) was found between laparoscopic and open nephrectomies, respectively, during the 2005-2009-period. Nephrectomies performed by laparoscopic technique rose from 7.6% to 30.8% (p < 0.05) and laparoscopic nephroureterectomies from 1.7% to 10.3% (p < 0.05) from the 2000-2004-period to the 2005-2009-period.


CONCLUSIONS
We recommend the implementation of fast-track surgery programmes to further decrease postoperative stay and mortality. A further increase in the use of laparoscopy is warranted.
Urologisk Afdeling D, Roskilde Hospital, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark. nesa@regionsjaelland.dk
Nessn H
NH
Azawi
Tom
T
Christensen
Anette Lykke
AL
Petri
Henrik
H
Kehlet
D000368:Aged; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000639:trends; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000639:trends*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality* / Q000639:trends*; D012042:Registries; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014513:Ureter / Q000601:surgery