INTRODUCTION: Reducing intra-abdominal pressure from 12 mmHg to 6-8 mmHg during laparoscopy may reduce pain after minor laparoscopic procedures. We hypothesised that post-operative pain following ambulatory laparoscopic surgery was a limiting factor for day surgery. The primary aim of the study was to analyse risk factors for hospital admittance following laparoscopic ambulatory surgery.

METHODS: In this explorative prospective uncontrolled study, patients were included consecutively from 1 June 2013 to 31 March 2015 in an ambulatory setting using a standardised anaesthetic and post-operative multimodal analgesic regimen. Patients underwent the following three surgical procedures: laparoscoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic inguinal and umbilical hernia repair. In the post-anaesthesia care unit, pain was repeatedly recorded using a visual analogue scale. The need for intravenously administered on-demand sufentanil was registered. The main reason for admittance to hospital was registered in a structured questionnaire.

RESULTS: A total of 1,212 consecutive patients were included. Post-operative pain was the main reason for admittance in 14 patients, and 97% of all patients were discharged after a median of 5 h post-operatively (range: 0.4-5.0 h).

CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing ambulatory laparoscopic surgery using a perioperative multimodal analgesic regimen, pain was the limiting factor for discharge in 1% of patients operated in an ambulatory set-up.

FUNDING: none.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Danish Data Protection Agency: 2012-58-0004, Danish Health Authority: 3-3013-1435/1, Clinicaltrial.gov: NCT02782832.