Laparoscopic colon resections with discharge less than 24 hours.

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes
• Patient Recovery

Background:

• Laparoscopic surgery offers shorter hospital stays compared to open procedures.
• Multimodal fast-track protocols have previously reduced hospital stays to 2-5 days.
• This study explores the feasibility of reducing hospital stay to less than 24 hours.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the possibility of discharging patients within 24 hours after laparoscopic colon surgery.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of a modified fast-track protocol for perioperative care.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of a surgeon's experience with laparoscopic surgery over 12 months.
• Analysis of 7 patients discharged within 24 hours after minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery.
• Application of a modified fast-track protocol for perioperative care.

Main Results:

• Mean hospital stay was 21 hours and 47 minutes.
• Patients underwent laparoscopic right hemicolectomy (n=4) or sigmoid colectomy (n=3).
• Mean surgical blood loss was 74.3 mL, with a mean surgery duration of 118 minutes.

Conclusions:

• Laparoscopic colon surgery with multimodal perioperative care can facilitate discharge within 24 hours.
• Patients demonstrated no adverse consequences on follow-up.
• Close outpatient follow-up is crucial for monitoring potential complications like anastomotic leaks.