Same-Day Discharge After a Minimally Invasive Colectomy: A Successful Approach to Patient Selection

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have been shown to decrease inpatient length of stay (LOS) and improve surgical outcomes in elective abdominal colorectal procedures. Discharging a patient home after a minimally invasive colectomy on the same calendar day is a multifactorial decision that takes into account the patient's decision and baseline condition, social factors, intraoperative findings, and postoperative recovery status. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of same-day discharge (SDD) following minimally invasive colectomy within an ERAS protocol in a community hospital setting in Houston, Texas.

In this retrospective cohort study, all consecutive elective cases were performed by a single surgeon from April 2022 to April 2023. This retrospective analysis aims to report a single senior surgeon's experience of the safety, feasibility, and benefits of same-day discharge after minimally invasive colectomy in preselected patients. Same-day discharge was defined as a discharge on the same calendar day without an overnight stay. Differences between specific groups were compared using the Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U test.

Of 86 non-emergent colectomies, 41 patients (47.7%) were successfully discharged on the same day. The median age of the patients was 63.50 years (interquartile range (IQR) 18). The cohort included 37 females (43%) and 49 males (57%). The median LOS was one day. The median operating time was 148.50 minutes (IQR 68.25). The median intraoperative fluid usage was 1500 mL (IQR 36.25), and the median estimated blood loss (EBL) was 25 mL (IQR 36.25). No readmissions among the SDD patients (0%), while three readmissions were reported in patients who stayed overnight (3.4%).  Conclusion: Same-day discharge after a minimally invasive colectomy is feasible when there is a well-established ERAS protocol and there is adequate education for patients and staff. Adequate patient selection is crucial. Patients with multiple comorbidities and a lack of a support network are not suitable candidates.