Early discharge despite postoperative pyrexia after inguinal herniorrhaphy in unselected patients

Although shown to be suitable for selected patients with subsequent community medical and social support early discharge from hospital after inguinal hernia repair is apparently not well established. The application of such a policy may also be inhibited by postoperative pyrexia even though the cause of this is not evident. We report a series of 103 unselected patients presenting consecutively to an inner London hospital for hernia repair in whom early discharge was proposed in 95 per cent and achieved in 79 per cent irrespective of clinically unaccountable postoperative pyrexia and without special community health provision. This discharge policy placed no additional burden on the community health services and did not affect adversely patients' welfare, satisfaction or time off work.