Trends in hospital length of stay and 30-day morbidity in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic ileocecal resection, 2012–2016

Purpose: To examine postoperative length of stay (LOS), hospital readmission, and 30-day complications in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic ileocecal resection in a contemporary cohort. Methods: Retrospective review of the American College of Surgeons National Surgery Quality Improvement Project, Pediatric (NSQIP-P) 2012–2016 participant user files for patients < 19 years old who underwent laparoscopic ileocecal resection. Mean postoperative LOS, hospital readmission and both wound-specific and composite complications were calculated and compared by year of operation. Results: 348 patients were identified (range, 46–96 per year); 55.2–69.8% of these were admitted the day of operation, with a nonsignificant increase in frequency over the study period. Postoperative LOS ranged from 5.4 ± 2.9 days to 7.3 ± 9.1 days (p = 0.24). In subset analysis of only those patients admitted on the day of operation, postoperative LOS remained relatively long, ranging from 5.0 ± 3.0 days to 5.7 ± 4.0 days (p = 0.89). 30-day hospital readmission proportions rose insignificantly, from 6.9% in 2012 to 15.5% in 2016 (p = 0.41). Wound complication rates (including superficial, deep, and deep organ space infections, as well as wound dehiscence) ranged from 0.0% to 8.6%, but did not vary in a statistically significant manner. Nonwound complication rates were vanishingly small. Conclusions: Postoperative LOS in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic ileocecal resection in a select group of patients cared for in hospitals participating in NSQIP-P has not decreased in the past 5 years despite emerging evidence of the safety and relevance of enhanced recovery after surgery programs. Opportunities for shortening LOS without compromising patient safety may still exist. Level-of-evidence: III Retrospective comparative study.