Outpatient laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: first 100 cases.

Study Objective: The development of outpatient surgery was one of the major goals of public health policy in 2010. The purpose of this observational prospective study was to evaluate the feasibility of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) in an ambulatory setting.

Design: Study design was a prospective prospective observational, nonrandomized study, registered (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01513005), with institutional review board approval and written informed consent.

Setting: Amiens University Medical Center.

Patients: Patients undergoing SG who were preselected by inclusion ambulatory criteria.

Interventions: All patients operated on for obesity by laparoscopic SG, from May 2011 through July 2013.

Measurements: We collected outcomes data on 100 patients including incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, maximum and average pain scores, and the overall satisfaction rate.

Main Results: Of the 100 obese patients, 93% were women. The mean age was 36 years (22-55 years). The mean preoperative body mass index was 42.4 kg/m(2). The mean operating time was 60 minutes (range, 30-95 minutes). The overall satisfaction rate was 93% (n = 93). When leaving the postoperative care unit, 94% of patients felt no or mild pain. Eighty-two percent had no postoperative postoperative nausea and vomiting, and 7 patients needed treatment using ondasetron.

Conclusions: Laparoscopic SG in an ambulatory setting is feasible with a dedicated anesthesiological approach and an expert surgical team. Appropriate patient selection is important for ensuring safety and quality of care within the outpatient program.