Safety and effectiveness of outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a teaching hospital: a prospective study of 110 consecutive patients.

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy (OLC) in a day surgery unit in a teaching hospital. OLC was offered to patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis who met the following established inclusion criteria: ASA (American Society of Anesthesiology) physical status classification class I and II; age: 18 - 70 years; body mass index (BMI) < 30 kg/m2; patient acceptance and cooperation (informed consent); presence of a responsible adult to accompany the patient to his residency; patient residency in Athens. The primary study end-point was to evaluate success rates (patient discharge on the day of surgery), postoperative outcome (complications, re-admissions, morbidity and mortality) and patient satisfaction. A secondary endpoint was to evaluate its safe performance under appropriate supervision by higher surgical trainees (HSTs).