Day case appendectomy in adults: a review.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Procedures
• Gastrointestinal Surgery

Background:

• Day-case appendectomy (DCA) is a proposed alternative to traditional appendectomy for acute appendicitis.
• Surgeons express reluctance in applying DCA to adult patients.
• This review explores the feasibility of DCA in adult populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of performing appendectomies on a day-case basis for adult patients.
• To consolidate existing evidence on the outcomes of day-case appendectomy in adults.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted on Pubmed and Embase databases.
• Reviewers assessed articles based on criteria for day-case surgery, patient recovery, work resumption, and satisfaction.
• Data from 13 studies published between 1993 and 2012 were analyzed.

Main Results:

• A total of 1152 adult patients underwent DCA across 13 studies.
• Discharge times varied: 27.08% within 12 hours, 53.29% within 24 hours, and 21.01% within 72 hours.
• The studies included retrospective, prospective, and case-control designs.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary data suggest that day-case appendectomy may be feasible for adults.
• More robust prospective studies are necessary to establish DCA as a recommended surgical option.
• Further research is needed to support the broader adoption of DCA in adult patients.