Day case appendectomy in adults: a review

Background: Day-case appendectomy (DCA) for acute appendicitis has been suggested as a valuable alternative to traditional appendectomy but many surgeons are reluctant to apply this technique in adults. The aim of the present review is to discuss the feasibility of DCA in adults.

Methods: Three reviewers independently searched the Pubmed and Embase databases for articles on DCA. They then considered the criteria applicable to the surgery, day-case surgery, time taken for patients to resume normal activities, mean time to resumption of work and patient satisfaction.

Results: Between 1993 and 2012, 13 studies (with retrospective (n = 8), prospective (n = 4) or case-control study (n = 1) designs) dealt with DCA. A total of 1152 adults underwent DCA. 312 patients (27.08%) were discharged within 12 h, 614 (53.29%) within 24 h and 242 (21.01%) within 72 h.

Conclusion: The few data reported in 13 studies, suggest that DCA may be feasible. However prospective studies are needed before DCA can be recommended.