Assessment of the feasibility of same-day discharge following minimally invasive hysterectomy in the elderly population

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and feasibility of same-day discharge (SDD) following minimally invasive hysterectomy (MIH) for elderly patients and to evaluate associations between age, frailty, and postoperative outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective review was conducted of patients aged ≥ 70 who underwent MIH within a single gynecologic oncology institution from 2018 to 2020. Demographics, peri-operative factors, postoperative complications, and 30-day readmission rates were collected. Frailty was determined by an 11-point modified frailty index ≥ 2. Outcomes were compared between SDD and observation groups using Fisher’s exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. RESULTS: Of 169 patients included in the analysis, 8.9% (n = 15) underwent SDD, and 91.1% (n = 154) were admitted for OBS following MIH. Demographics, peri-operative factors, and frailty rates (33% SDD vs 43.5% observation; p = 0.59) were similar between groups. 86.7% (n = 13) of SDD cases were completed before 12PM, and none were completed after 6PM. No SDD patients had early post-operative complications or hospital readmissions. Early postoperative complications were diagnosed in 9 (5.8%) patients admitted for OBS, and the 30-day hospital readmission rate for patients who underwent OBS was 8.4% (n = 13). While elderly patients who met objective frailty criteria (n = 72) did not have a higher likelihood of early post-operative complications (44.4% vs 55.6%; p = 0.909), they did have a higher likelihood of ED visit within 30 days of discharge (15.3 vs 3.1%; p = 0.009), and a trend was noted toward a higher rate of 30-day hospital readmission (12.5% vs 4.1%; p = 0.080). CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients undergoing SDD following MIH did not have increased morbidity or mortality. Elderly patients who meet objective criteria for frailty, however, represent a more vulnerable population.