Feasibility and cost effectiveness of ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A retrospective cohort study

Ambulatory surgery is an efficient, safe and widely performed procedure; this study would shows the advantages of the ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedure from the point of view of patients and the Hospital/National Health System. Materials and Methods: Single-center retrospective cohort study including 288 patients who underwent laparoscopic-cholecystectomy at **** from January 2016 to July 2018. Ambulatory LC were compared to well-matched inpatient procedures performed in the same study period. The primary endpoints was the 30-day readmission rate. Secondary endpoints were the discharge rate in the ambulatory group, the post-operative complications rate and cost effectiveness. Results: 120/288 (41.7%) patients underwent ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Thirty-two (26.7%) patients who underwent ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy had major preoperative comorbidities and 35 (29.2%) had undergone prior abdominal surgery. The readmission rates for ambulatory patients and inpatients were 0.8% and 1.7% (p = 0.56), respectively; 104 (86.7%) ambulatory patients were discharged successfully on the same day. The two groups showed the same post-operative complication rate (p = 0.40). Ambulatory procedures resulted in related cost savings of more than 300% for the hospital and a remarkable financial benefit for the National Italian Healthcare System, accounting for savings exceeding € 27 000 per year. Conclusions: Ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy is safe and cost effective. Since a third of ambulatory patients showed comorbidity or previous abdominal surgery, we believe that this procedure may be performed safely in a tertiary HPB centre, even in complex patients.