Factors associated with in-hospital length of stay among non-elderly patients post- colectomy Travel Award

Shortening in-hospital length of stay (LOS) post-colectomy can enhance patient care and optimise resource utilisation, though factors influencing LOS for non-elderly patients have yet to be examined. This preliminary study investigates pre-, peri-, and post-operative factors associated with LOS among this subpopulation to identify potential predictors of earlier discharge.
103 non-elderly (under 65 years) patients who underwent laparoscopic right colectomy or anterior resection between 2019-2021 at a Singapore healthcare institution were reviewed retrospectively. Patients requiring conversion to open surgery or intensive care unit admissions were excluded. All data were extracted from institutional medical records.
Multivariate linear regression revealed no significant associations between pre- or peri-operative factors and LOS were found. Post-operatively, delayed bowel function was significantly associated with longer LOS, as was prolonged intravenous (IV) dependence, though only among patients who developed complications. Additionally, higher body mass index was associated with delayed bowel function, while intraoperative blood loss was associated with prolonged IV fluid dependence, although this was observed only in patients with more severe post-operative complications.
While pre- and peri-operative factors were not directly associated to LOS, bowel function resumption and IV fluid dependence were key post-operative indicators of discharge readiness. Pre- and peri-operative factors should be examined with greater granularity to identify patients potentially eligible for expedited discharge so that early triaging may be possible.