• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer

Log in
  • Search
    • Search All SAGES Content
    • Search SAGES Guidelines
    • Search the Video Library
    • Search the Image Library
    • Search the Abstracts Archive
www.sages.org

SAGES

Reimagining surgical care for a healthier world

  • Home
    • Search
    • SAGES Home
    • SAGES Foundation Home
  • About
    • Awards
    • Who Is SAGES?
    • Leadership
    • Our Mission
    • Advocacy
    • Committees
      • SAGES Board of Governors
      • Officers and Representatives of the Society
      • Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs
      • Committee Rosters
      • SAGES Past Presidents
  • Meetings
    • SAGES NBT Innovation Weekend
    • SAGES Annual Meeting
      • 2026 Scientific Session Call for Abstracts
      • 2026 Emerging Technology Call for Abstracts
    • CME Claim Form
    • SAGES Past, Present, Future, and Related Meeting Information
    • SAGES Related Meetings & Events Calendar
  • Join SAGES!
    • Membership Application
    • Membership Benefits
    • Membership Types
      • Requirements and Applications for Active Membership in SAGES
      • Requirements and Applications for Affiliate Membership in SAGES
      • Requirements and Applications for Associate Active Membership in SAGES
      • Requirements and Applications for Candidate Membership in SAGES
      • Requirements and Applications for International Membership in SAGES
      • Requirements for Medical Student Membership
    • Member Spotlight
    • Give the Gift of SAGES Membership
  • Patients
    • Join the SAGES Patient Partner Network (PPN)
    • Patient Information Brochures
    • Healthy Sooner – Patient Information for Minimally Invasive Surgery
    • Choosing Wisely – An Initiative of the ABIM Foundation
    • All in the Recovery: Colorectal Cancer Alliance
    • Find A SAGES Surgeon
  • Publications
    • Clinical / Practice / Training Guidelines, Statements, and Standards of Practice
    • Sustainability in Surgical Practice
    • SAGES Stories Podcast
    • Patient Information Brochures
    • Patient Information From SAGES
    • TAVAC – Technology and Value Assessments
    • Surgical Endoscopy and Other Journal Information
    • SAGES Manuals
    • MesSAGES – The SAGES Newsletter
    • COVID-19 Archive
    • Troubleshooting Guides
  • Education
    • Wellness Resources – You Are Not Alone
    • Avoid Opiates After Surgery
    • SAGES Subscription Catalog
    • SAGES TV: Home of SAGES Surgical Videos
    • The SAGES Safe Cholecystectomy Program
    • Masters Program
    • Resident and Fellow Opportunities
      • MIS Fellows Course
      • SAGES Robotics Residents and Fellows Courses
      • SAGES Free Resident Webinar Series
      • Fluorescence-Guided Surgery Course for Fellows
      • Fellows’ Career Development Course
    • SAGES S.M.A.R.T. Enhanced Recovery Program
    • SAGES @ Cine-Med Products
      • SAGES Top 21 Minimally Invasive Procedures Every Practicing Surgeon Should Know
      • SAGES Pearls Step-by-Step
      • SAGES Flexible Endoscopy 101
    • SAGES OR SAFETY Video Activity
  • Opportunities
    • Fellowship Recognition Opportunities
    • SAGES Advanced Flexible Endoscopy Area of Concentrated Training (ACT) SEAL
    • Multi-Society Foregut Fellowship Certification
    • Research Opportunities
    • FLS
    • FES
    • FUSE
    • Jobs Board
    • SAGES Go Global: Global Affairs and Humanitarian Efforts
  • OWLS/FLS
You are here: Home / Abstracts / Hospital Readmission Following Appendectomy, Cholecystectomy, and Herniorrhaphy

Hospital Readmission Following Appendectomy, Cholecystectomy, and Herniorrhaphy

Brian C Hill, MD, Saad A Shebrain, MBBCh, FACS, Leandra H Burke, MPA, CCRP, Shivani Shah, MD, Ethan J Maltz. Western Michigan University School of Medicine.

INTRODUCTION: Hospital readmissions are known to occur after surgery. We conducted a retrospective case review on a cohort of patients who had appendectomy, cholecystectomy, or hernia repair and were subsequently readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. Our objective was to find common variables, present at the time of surgery, which may help to identify patients at higher risk for readmission after surgery.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES: We examined records of patients who underwent appendectomy, cholecystectomy, or herniorrhaphy at either of two community hospitals. Of 2,119 patients undergoing surgery between January 01, 2011 and April 30, 2012 (N=2,119), 6.80% (n=144) patients were subsequently readmitted within 30 days.
For the cohort of readmitted patients (n=144), we examined 51 variables covering demographic information; insurance status; pain level; comorbities; medication use; discharge considerations; intraoperative events; and the length of hospital stay.
Data was de-identified and tabulated in Microsoft Excel. Data analysis, including basic descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon two sample tests, was completed with SAS version 9.3 software.

RESULTS: The cohort was comprised of 60 males and 84 females, with an average age of 45.94 years (StD ±22.15 years). 51.88% of patients held private insurance (n=69), 38.35% had government insurance (n= 61), and 9.77% were self-pay (n=13). Insurance data was not available for 11 patients.
The mean BMI value was 30 (StD ±9); 45 patients were overweight (BMI 25 – 29.9), and 49 patients were obese (BMI≥30). 61.11 %( n=88) had at least one of the following co-morbidities: CHF, CAD, hypertension, COPD, asthma, diabetes, renal impairment, chronic kidney disease, depression, or dementia. 29.86% (n=43) were on pain medication prior to surgery.
As for the surgical procedures, n=27 underwent hernia repair (2 of these were laparoscopic); n= 27 underwent appendectomy (24 laparoscopic); and n=87 had cholecystectomy (82 laparoscopic). 6.25% (n=9) experienced an intraoperative event, including 1 conversion of a cholecystectomy from lap to open procedure.
35.41% (n=51) were discharged the same day of surgery; 34.03% (n=49) required a short hospital stay (<24 hours), and 24.31% completed a long stay following surgery (>24 hours). 27 patients were on antibiotics 24 hours post-op, and 6 patients experienced wound problems.
Since 65.28% of the readmitted patients were overweight or obese (n= 94), we were curious to investigate the effect of this variable on surgery. Of 35 open procedures, only 3 were performed on overweight or obese patients (BMI ≥25). The mean operative time for the overweight and obese patients was 98.08 minutes, as opposed to 75.97 minutes for normal weight patients (p=.1045).

CONCLUSION: The majority of patients in our cohort were overweight or obese. We found that our overweight patients experienced longer intraoperative times, on average, than non-overweight patients. It is well-known that obesity can be attributed to a number of health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, CHF, and gallstones, which could conceivably impact surgery and subsequent recovery. This study continues to track 30-day readmissions, in order to identify patients most at risk for readmission, and take measures to reduce readmission rates in this population in the future.
 

View Poster

429

Share this:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
  • Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky

Related


sages_adbutler_leaderboard

Hours & Info

11300 West Olympic Blvd, Suite 600
Los Angeles, CA 90064

1-310-437-0544

[email protected]

Monday – Friday
8am to 5pm Pacific Time

Find Us Around the Web!

  • Bluesky
  • X
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2025 · SAGES · All Rights Reserved

Important Links

Healthy Sooner: Patient Information

SAGES Guidelines, Statements, & Standards of Practice

SAGES Manuals