ABSTRACT
Aims: 67 000 cholecystectomies performed every year in The UK and 92% are laparoscopic. 75% of operations should be done as day cases. National rates vary between 6-50% with The most successful centres at 70%. Our aim was to audit The day case rate at our Trust pre-COVID and compare it to during COVID. Method(s): A retrospective audit of patients identified via clinical coding who had an elective cholecystectomy at one hospital in The Trust between 1 December 2018 to 31 November 2019. During COVID we did a prospective audit of patients identified via Theatreman who had an elective cholecystectomy at The Trust's designated "Green Hospital" between 21 September 2020 to 21 December 2020. Data for all patients was collected from electronic discharge summaries, clinic letters and patient notes. Result(s): Pre-COVID our day case cholecystectomy rate was 73% compared to 54.7% during COVID. Pre-COVID conversion rate from planned day case to inpatient stay was 16.3% and during COVID The conversion rate increased to 44%. The waiting time for a cholecystectomy doubled during COVID to 26.3 weeks from 13.6 weeks pre-COVID. Average re-admission rate with symptomatic gallstones was 0.79 pre-COVID and 0.95 during COVID, with 64% of patients having at lEast one admission prior to surgery. The average length of stay pre-COVID was 0.75 days compared to 0.57 days during COVID. Summary: COVID adversely affected our day case cholecystectomy rates with resultant increased waiting times for Surgery and readmissions with symptomatic gallstones however The average length of hospital stay was reduced.