Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 8, 2025
Laparoscopic Choledochal Cyst Excision and Roux-en-Y Choledochojejunostomy in Adults
Published on: February 28, 2025
Thirty-Day Unplanned Readmission After Ambulatory Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Western China: A Retrospective
Huang MingJun1,2, Dai Yan1, Li JiPing3
1Day Surgery Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, CHN.
Insights
Ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has a low 30-day unplanned readmission rate of 1.53%. Wound problems and abdominal pain were the main reasons for readmission, suggesting potential for improved patient outcomes with targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Outcomes
- Health Services Research
- Gastrointestinal Surgery
Background:
- Day surgery, including ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), is increasingly adopted globally to reduce hospital stays and costs.
- While LC has been performed in China for over a decade, data on its 30-day unplanned readmission rates remain limited.
- Establishing benchmarks for ambulatory LC readmissions is crucial for quality improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the 30-day unplanned readmission rate following ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).
- To identify and classify the primary reasons for unplanned readmissions after ambulatory LC.
- To provide data from a leading tertiary hospital in western China that pioneered ambulatory surgery.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 3,014 patients who underwent ambulatory LC between September 2015 and September 2019.
- Calculation of the 30-day unplanned readmission rate as the primary outcome.
- Analysis and classification of reasons for unplanned readmission as the secondary outcome.
Main Results:
- The overall 30-day unplanned readmission rate was 1.53%.
- Patients readmitted had a significantly higher diagnosis rate of cholecystolithiasis with cholecystitis (73.9% vs. 48.9%).
- Wound problems (60.9%) and abdominal pain (26.1%) were the most frequent reasons for readmission, with 71.7% occurring within the first seven days post-discharge.
Conclusions:
- Ambulatory LC demonstrates a low unplanned readmission rate of 1.53%, indicating its safety and efficacy.
- Key contributors to readmission, such as wound complications and abdominal pain, are potentially modifiable.
- Simple clinical interventions targeting wound care and pain management could further reduce unplanned readmissions and enhance patient recovery after ambulatory LC.
Abstract:
Background Day surgery has been gradually accepted by health professions globally, which can shorten the hospital stay and reduce medical costs. The ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has been performed in China since over 10 years. However, few studies focus on its 30-day unplanned readmission rate of ambulatory LC and no standard of unplanned readmission rate for that now. Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the unplanned readmission rate and the reasons readmission after ambulatory LC in a tertiary hospital, which is the earliest ambulatory surgery implementation place in western China. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted. The patients who underwent ambulatory LC from September 2015 to September 2019 in West China Hospital were screened. The 30-day unplanned readmission rate was calculated as the first outcome. The reasons for unplanned readmission were analyzed and classified as the second outcome. Results The study included 3,014 patients, and the unplanned readmission rate was 1.53%. The rate of patients diagnosed with cholecystolithiasis with cholecystitis was significantly higher in the unplanned readmission group (73.9% vs. 48.9%, p=0.003), and medical cost of unplanned readmission patients was significantly more than that of non-readmission patients (8,102.4±1,375.7 Yuan vs. 7,574.61±10,14.0 Yuan; p=0.008). It was observed that 71.7% readmission happened in the first seven days. Wound problems (60.9%) and abdominal pain (26.1%) went the two main reasons for unplanned readmission. Conclusions The analysis revealed that the unplanned readmission rate of 1.53% was low for ambulatory LC. Some causes of unplanned readmission, such as abdominal pain and wound site pain, wound exudate could be reduced by some simple interventions of the clinical professions.
