Early discharge after abdominal surgery: experience on a gynecologic oncology service.

Abstract Objectives. The goals of this study were to determine the length of stay (LOS) after abdominal surgery following implementation of practice guidelines on a gynecologic oncology service, to identify adverse outcomes of early discharge, and to identify clinical predictors of longer LOS. Methods. A retrospective chart review of 266 consecutive patients who had elective abdominal surgery was performed. Clinical data, LOS, and follow-up data were abstracted. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify clinical variables predictive of LOS. Results. Mean LOS was 2.94 days. Seven (2.6%) patients were readmitted after discharge. With multivariate analysis, extensive surgical procedures, coronary artery disease, and bowel surgery were predictive of longer LOS ( P Conclusions. Early discharge following abdominal surgery was possible for most patients and was associated with a low rate of readmission. Extensive surgical procedures, coronary artery disease, and bowel surgery were predictive of longer LOS.