Table 2.
Recommendations for patient suitability for early discharge after closure of loop ileostomy
| Pre-operative assessment |
| Social suitability: responsible adult present for 24 h, access to telephone, access to general practitioner |
| American Society of Anaesthesiologists physical status grade 1–2 |
| Body mass index < 35 kg/m2 |
| No severe systemic organ system dysfunction |
| No type 1 diabetes or type 2 on insulin |
| Not on anticoagulation therapy |
| No anaesthesia contraindications |
| Intra-operative factors |
| No excessive blood loss |
| No conversion to laparotomy or multiple procedures |
| Fitness for discharge |
| Stable vital observations for at least an hour |
| Absence of active wound bleeding |
| No nasogastric tube |
| Pain controlled on oral analgesia |
| Passing urine |
| Able to drink fluids |
| Written and verbal instructions on wound care, analgesia and signs of sepsis and bowel obstruction |
| Emergency contact number for accident and emergency department and stoma clinical nurse specialists |
| Regular district nurse visits for wound management |
Modified from the NHS Modernisation Agency and the British Association of Day Surgery guidelines.3