AB105. 39. Readmission to hospital following laparoscopic cholecystectomy—a meta-analysis
General Session I

AB105. 39. Readmission to hospital following laparoscopic cholecystectomy—a meta-analysis

Caroline McIntyre1, Alison Johnston1, Deirdre Foley1, Magda Bucholc2, Michael Sugrue3

1Donegal Clinical Research Academy, Department of Surgery, Letterkenny University Hospital, Co. Donegal, Ireland;2EU INTERREG Centre for Precision Medicine project, Intelligent Systems Research Centre, School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent Systems EU INTERREG Centre for Precision Medicine project, Intelligent Systems Research Centre, School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent Systems, Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland;3Department of Surgery, Letterkenny University Hospital, Donegal, Ireland


Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures. Despite this, the pattern of readmission to hospital following laparoscopic cholecystectomy is not well defined. This meta-analysis aimed to determine rates and predictors of readmission.

Methods: An ethically approved PROSPERO-registered meta-analysis was undertaken searching PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases from January 2013–June 2018 and followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram format. Published literature potentially suitable for data analysis was graded using methodological index for non-randomised studies (MINORS) criteria; papers scoring ≥16/24 were included. The odds ratio (OR) using random-effects, Mantel-Haenszel method with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed for each potential risk factors using RevMan5.

Results: Three thousand six hundred and thirty-two articles were reduced to 44 studies qualifying for a final analysis of 1,573,715 laparoscopic cholecystectomies from 25 countries. Overall readmission rate was 3.3% (range, 0.0–11.7%); 52,628 readmissions out of 1,573,715 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed. Surgical complications accounted for 76% of reported reasons for readmission, predominantly bile duct complications (33%), wound infection (17%) and nausea and vomiting (9%). Pain (15%) and cardiorespiratory complications (8%) account for the remainder. Obesity, single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy and day case laparoscopic cholecystectomy did not increase rates of readmission.

Conclusions: Surgical complications are the most common causes for readmission, however causes are inconsistently reported. No statistically significant risk factors were identified. The mean readmission rate of 3.3% may act as a quality benchmark for improving laparoscopic cholecystectomies and clearer reporting of reasons for readmission may aid in their reduction.

Keywords: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy; readmission; surgical outcome; quality care


doi: 10.21037/map.2019.AB105
Cite this abstract as: McIntyre C, Johnston A, Foley D, Bucholc M, Sugrue M. Readmission to hospital following laparoscopic cholecystectomy—a meta-analysis. Mesentery Peritoneum 2019;3:AB105.

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