Nighttime Appendectomy is Safe and has Similar Outcomes as Daytime Appendectomy: A Study of 1198 Appendectomies

INTRODUCTION: Although it is controversial whether appendectomy can be safely delayed, it is often unnecessary to postpone operation as a shorter delay may increase patient comfort, enables quicker recovery, and decreases costs. In this study, we sought to study whether the time of day influences the outcomes among patients operated on for acute appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing appendectomy at Tampere University Hospital between 1 September 2014 and 30 April 2017 for acute appendicitis were included. Primary outcome measures were postoperative morbidity, mortality, length of hospital stay, and amount of intraoperative bleeding. Appendectomies were divided into daytime and nighttime operations. RESULTS: A total of 1198 patients underwent appendectomy, of which 65% were operated during daytime and 35% during nighttime. Patient and disease-related characteristics were similar in both groups. The overall morbidity and mortality rates were 4.8% and 0.2%, respectively. No time categories were associated with risk of complications or complication severity. Neither was there difference in operation time and clinically significant difference in intraoperative bleeding. Patients undergoing surgery during night hours had a shorter hospital stay. In multivariate analysis, only complicated appendicitis was associated with worse outcomes. DISCUSSION: We have shown that nighttime appendectomy is associated with similar outcomes than daytime appendectomy. Subsequently, appendectomy should be planned for the next available slot, minimizing delay whenever possible.