Timing of mastectomy and the effect on the likelihood of outpatient surgery and cost savings in breast cancer patients.

Background: Same-day discharge after mastectomy has potential patient- and hospital-level benefits; however, few data are available regarding factors affecting the likelihood of same-day discharge in order to address barriers. We sought to evaluate factors contributing to same-day discharge, focusing on the timing of mastectomy during the operative day.

Methods: We conducted a single-institution retrospective review of patients who underwent mastectomies for malignancy over a 3-y time frame.