Same-day discharge after laparoscopic hysterectomy.

The benefits of laparoscopic hysterectomy are well documented and include less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay and faster recovery. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of laparoscopic hysterectomy as an outpatient procedure. A total of 26 women regarded eligible for an accelerated approach were included. The mean duration of the operation was 40 min (range 23-60 min), with a blood loss of 50 mL (range 10-200 mL). Twenty-three left the hospital the same day (88%). One woman required overnight hospitalization because of a port hematoma, while two stayed for reasons unrelated to the surgery. Three other women were referred with minor problems to an urgent clinic appointment within the first month. Overall, the women were satisfied with the procedure, with a mean rating of 9 of 10 possible points. Thus, outpatient laparoscopic hysterectomy appeared to be safe and well accepted by selected patients.