Ambulatory discharge of patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy results in significantly more adverse outcomes

Safety of Same-Day Discharge Bariatric Surgery: A Comprehensive Analysis of 457 Cases Across Multiple Procedure Types

BACKGROUND

Outpatient bariatric surgery offers reduced hospital stays and healthcare costs, with promising safety outcomes. This study analyzes the short-term results of stand-alone primary and revision bariatric surgeries, alongside concomitant foregut and abdominal surgeries associated with bariatric procedures, to assess their safety and efficacy in an outpatient setting at a free-standing ambulatory center.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on 457 same-day discharge (SDD) bariatric cases performed by a single surgeon at a free-standing ambulatory center between January 2021 and July 2024. The procedures included sleeve gastrectomy (SG), duodenal switch (DS), adjustable gastric band (AGB) removal, and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Concomitant foregut and abdominal surgeries associated with bariatric procedures, such as hiatal hernia repair (HHR), cholecystectomy, fundoplication, and ventral hernia repair, were performed when clinically indicated.

RESULTS

Of the 457 cases, 97.8% were primary surgeries, and 2.1% were revisions. Stand-alone procedures accounted for 39.3%, and 60.6% were concomitant. SG constituted 74.8% of cases, followed by HHR (16.1%), DS (5.4%), AGB removal (2.6%), and RYGB (.8%). The mean operative time was 79.9 ± 24.3 min, with a mean length of stay of 3 h 52 min (± 1:10). The 30-day complication rate was 2.1%, with Clavien-Dindo grade IIIb complications in .8% of patients. Patient satisfaction was high, with a mean score of 9.8.

CONCLUSIONS

Outpatient bariatric surgeries demonstrated strong safety with minimal complications, underscoring their viability in carefully selected patients. Staged approaches for complex cases further optimized outcomes, making outpatient settings a robust option for a wide range of bariatric procedures.

Same Day Discharge after Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in Adults 65 Years and Older: An Analysis of the 2015 to 2022 MBSAQIP

BACKGROUND

There is increasing interest in same day discharge (SDD) after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS). Among older adults, the safety of SDD is unclear and, as a result, this age group is often excluded from SDD protocols. We aimed to characterize the safety profile of SDD in adults ≥ 65 years.

METHODS

The 2015-2022 MBSAQIP was queried for patients ≥ 65 years undergoing primary sleeve gastrectomy or RYGB. Patients were stratified based on postoperative day (POD) of discharge: SDD, POD1, POD2, POD3, and ≥ POD4. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between SDD and 30-day Clavien-Dindo complications and readmissions.

RESULTS

We identified 63,486 patients ≥ 65 years; the median (IQR) age was 68 (4) years. Overall, 2.12% of patients underwent SDD while the majority (52.8%) were discharged on POD1. From 2015 to 2022, the proportion with SDD increased from 1.15% to 4.33%. Compared to those discharged on later days, patients undergoing SDD had proportionally fewer obesity-associated diseases, including insulin-dependent diabetes (SDD 14.2%, POD1 15.5%, POD2 20.4%, POD3 23.2%, POD4 + 26.1%) and COPD (SDD 3.2%, POD1 4.7%, POD2 5.7%, POD3 7.2%, POD4 + 9.6%) (all p < 0.001). Compared to POD1 discharge, SDD was not significantly associated with any class of Clavien-Dindo complications or 30-day readmissions (all p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Though use of SDD after MBS in adults ≥ 65 years has increased from 2015 to 2022, it remains an uncommon practice. Those undergoing SDD have fewer obesity-associated diseases and, in this select cohort of older adults, SDD is not associated with worse postoperative morbidity and mortality. Careful patient selection is critical for safe SDD in adults ≥ 65 years.