[How safe is short-term inpatient treatment after laparoscopic cholecystectomy]

In 534 patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy an earliest discharge was intended. The median day of discharge was day 3 postoperatively. The limitations to discharge were; normal physical findings, temperature back to normal and sonographic findings, which did not exceed the usual fluid accumulation in the gallbladder bed. Under strict application of these limitations no postoperative complication was missed. Due to outpatient pre-examination and operation on the day of admission the total length of stay could be limited to 2 days median. Also in this subgroup of 178 patients the chosen procedure was save.