A prospective observational study assessing the feasibility and factors affecting same-day discharge in patients undergoing robotic-assisted surgery for gynecological cancers.

Although robotic-assisted surgery is being increasingly used in the management of gynecologic cancers, most surgeons discharge patients on the next day of surgery citing concerns about immediate post-operative complications. Present study was conducted to evaluate the safety, factors influencing and quality of life for gynaecological cancer patients undergoing same-day discharge after robotic-assisted surgery. This is single institutional prospective observational study as pragmatic cohort including all well-selected gynecological cancer patients undergoing robotic-assisted surgery from September 2017 to June 2019. Patients were divided into two study groups [Same-day discharge (SDD) group vs. Next-day discharge (NDD) group] according to day of discharge. The entire cohort included 152 patients (38 in SDD group and 114 in NDD group). The difference between both SDD vs. NDD was significant for parameters including Age ≥ 70 years (0% vs. 18.4%, p: 0.010); Operative time > 60 min (39.5% vs. 60.5%, p: 0.024); patients with third-party insurance covering surgery (2.6% vs. 25.4%, p: 0.005) and place of residence ≥ 60 km from hospital (13.1% vs. 51.8%, p: < 0.0001). The quality of life was similar in both groups and none of the patients required readmission or emergency room visits. Same-day discharge after robot-assisted surgery in gynecologic cancer patients is a safe and feasible option. Younger patients, short surgical time, surgery early in the day, no claim for third-party insurance, residing nearby hospital within 60 km radius were influencing factors favouring same-day discharge.