Same Day Discharge Following Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy: Is it worth it?

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE
Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy (RAPN) has traditionally been performed as an inpatient procedure; however, recent studies have suggested the feasibility of same-day discharge (SDD) after RAPN. We aimed to evaluate the safety and cost-effectiveness of SDD for RAPN.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients undergoing RAPN between January 2015 and July 2021. Comparison before and after the implementation of a SDD protocol was assessed via differences in post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) time, length of stay (LOS), 30-day readmission rate, 30-day return to emergency department (ED) rates, unplanned office visits, and need for secondary procedures. A cost-efficacy model was generated to estimate the difference in expenditure between SDD and inpatient RAPN.


RESULTS
In total, 192 patients underwent RAPN with 74 being SDD and 118 being admitted post-operatively. After SDD protocol implementation, the percentage of patients discharged from the PACU increased from 0% to 76%. The safety profile of SDD was similar to the inpatient group, with no differences in readmission rates (1.4% vs 5.1%, p=0.18) or return to ED (5.4% vs 9.3%, p=0.33). Compared to inpatient RAPN, SDD was associated with increased time in PACU (375 vs 251 minutes, p <0.001), resulting in an additional expenditure of $1,622 per patient. SDD patients were more likely to return for 1 or more unplanned office visits (17.6% vs. 6.8%, p = 0.02). Overall, the total cost of SDD was significantly lower than inpatient RAPN ($5,222 per patient vs. $8,425, p <0.001).


CONCLUSION
Despite a shorter post-operative monitoring period, SDD appears safe, with equivalent readmission rates, return to ED, and secondary procedures. SDD for RAPN saves approximately $3,000 per patient. In implementing a SDD protocol, clinicians should be cognizant of increased demands on PACU infrastructure and be willing to provide additional support in the office setting.