Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can reduce postoperative pain and recovery time. However, some patients experience prolonged postoperative hospital stay. We aimed to identify factors influencing the postoperative hospital stay after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Patients (n=336) undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallbladder pathology at 8 hospitals were enrolled and divided into 2 groups: 2 or less and more than 2 days postoperative stay. Perioperative factors and patient factors were retrospectively analyzed.

The patient population median age was 52 years, and consisted of 32 emergency and 304 elective operations. A univariate analysis of perioperative factors revealed significant differences in operation time ( p <0.001), perioperative transfusion ( p =0.006), emergency operation ( p <0.001), acute inflammation ( p <0.001), and surgical site infection ( p =0.041). A univariate analysis of patient factors revealed significant differences in age ( p <0.001), gender ( p =0.036), diabetes mellitus ( p =0.011), preoperative albumin level ( p =0.024), smoking ( p =0.010), and American Society of Anesthesiologists score ( p =0.003). In a multivariate analysis, operation time ( p <0.001), emergency operation ( p <0.001), age ( p =0.014), and smoking ( p =0.022) were identified as independent factors influencing length of postoperative hospital stay.

Operation time, emergency operation, patient age, and smoking influenced the postoperative hospital stay and should be the focus of efforts to reduce hospital stay after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.