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Background Given its short procedure time and low morbidity, there is enthusiasm to perform sleeve gastrectomy (SG) in an outpatient setting. However, most relevant studies include an overnight stay at a medical facility (≤ 24-h). Hence, we investigated the feasibility and safety of a same-day discharge (SDD) protocol for laparoscopic SG. Methods In a prospective pilot study (02/01/2021–02/28/2022), all patients planned for SG were screened for eligibility. Patients met the inclusion criteria if they were ≤ 65 years old, without major comorbidity, and lived close to the hospital. Postoperatively, patients who met discharge criteria were sent home directly from the recovery room. Patients were called the same night and the next morning. Feasibility was defined as discharge on the day of surgery without emergency department (ED) visit or readmission within 24-h. Secondary outcomes, including 90-day morbidity, were compared to patients who met inclusion criteria but chose a same-day admission (SDA) approach during the same study period. Descriptive statistics are displayed as count (percentage) and median (interquartile range). Results A total of 320 patients were planned for SG during the study period, 229 of whom met eligibility criteria and underwent SG with 56 agreeing to SDD-SG while 173 opted for SDA-SG. Baseline characteristics were all similar between both groups except for obstructive sleep apnea being more prevalent in SDA-SG group (38.2% vs. 16.1%; P < 0.001). Operative characteristics including procedure time were similar between both groups. Successful SDD-SG was achieved in 54(96%) of patients with a median of 6.0(1.0) hours of stay in the recovery room. Ninety-day morbidity was similar between SDD-SG and SDA-SG groups (1.8% vs. 6.9%, respectively; P = 0.196). Conclusion A SDD protocol for laparoscopic SG was feasible and safe in selected patients. Larger studies that evaluate patient reported outcomes and include bypass-type procedures may be needed to guide safe use of ambulatory bariatric surgery.

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Background: Laparoscopic intracorporeal continuous suturing is being employed in a growing number of minimally invasive procedures. However, there is a lack of adequate bench models for gaining proficiency in this complex task. The purpose of this study was to assess a novel simulation model for running suture. Methods: Participants were grouped as novice (LSN) or expert (LSE) at laparoscopic suturing based on prior experience and training level. A novel low-cost bench model was developed to simulate laparoscopic intracorporeal continuous closure of a defect. The primary outcome measured was time taken to complete the task. Videos were scored by independent raters for Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (GOALS). Results: Sixteen subjects (7 LSE and 9 LSN) participated in this study. LSE completed the task significantly faster than LSN (430 ± 107 vs 637 ± 164 seconds, P ≤ .05). LSN scored higher on accuracy penalties than LSE (Median 30 vs 0, P ≤ .05). Mean GOALS score was significantly different between the 2 groups (LSE 20.64 ± 2.64 vs LSN 14.28 ± 1.94, P < .001) with good inter-rater reliability (ICC ≥ .823). An aggregate score using the formula: Performance Score = 1200-time(sec)-(accuracy penalties x 10) was significantly different between groups with a mean score of 741 ± 141 for LSE vs 285 ± 167 for LSN ( P < .001). Conclusion A novel bench model for laparoscopic continuous suturing was able to significantly discriminate between laparoscopic experts and novices. This low-cost model may be useful for both training and assessment of laparoscopic continuous suturing proficiency.