Short surgical stay: two hospital days for cholecystectomy.

One hundred consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy by the standard operative technique were managed according to five cost-efficiency principles. Ileus did not occur, and patients routinely ate a regular diet on the evening of the first postoperative day. Oral analgesics adequately controlled incision pain. The preoperative day in the hospital was eliminated in the latter part of the study. With careful preoperative and postoperative patient instruction, the majority of patients were satisfied with their stay and no readmissions were necessary. In short, the feasibility and safety of admission 2 hours before and discharge 2 days after elective cholecystectomy have been documented herein.