Adding days spent in readmission to the initial postoperative length of stay limits the perceived benefit of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy when compared with open distal pancreatectomy

BACKGROUND: Published comparisons of laparoscopic (laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy [LDP]) to open distal pancreatectomy (ODP) identify improved lengths of stay (LOS) after LDP but do not include data on readmissions. METHODS: Demographic, operative, and postoperative outcomes data for patients undergoing LDP or ODP between August 2007 and December 2009 were culled from our prospectively accruing pancreatic database. Electronic medical records were reviewed to determine cause, treatment, and LOS for readmissions. RESULTS: Patients undergoing LDP were statistically identical to those undergoing ODP in regard to age, presentation, demographic characteristics, comorbidities, operative times, tumor sizes, morbidity, mortality, and pancreatic fistula rates. The initial LOS was statistically shorter for those undergoing LDP (4.8 +/- .1 days vs 8.7 +/- .1 days, P < .001). The readmission rate for LDP was statistically higher than for ODP (25% vs 8%, P < .05). Overall LOS for LDP was 7.2 +/- .3 days versus 9.3 +/- .1 days for ODP (P = .2). CONCLUSIONS: Adding readmission LOS to initial LOS eliminates the perceived effect of LDP to accelerate recovery. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.