Early hospital discharge following abdominal hysterectomy

Summary

We prospectively offered 100 women early or standard postoperative hospital discharge after abdominal hysterectomy. Questionnaires were circulated to patient and genera] practitioner 3 months later. The early discharge policy resulted in the median postoperative hospital convalescence being reduced from 5 to 3 days (p<0–00l). General practitioner consultation rates were increased, home visiting rising threefold (P<005). There was not. however, a significant difference in complication rates, subjective pain, analgesic requirements or postoperative recovery time between the two groups, and the early discharge policy was acceptable to the majority of patients.

We conclude that the majority of women having an abdominal hysterectomy do not require a prolonged postoperative hospital convalescence, consequently there is potential for considerable financial savings within the hospital service but this is at the expense of an increased primary health care workload.