Who Can Be Discharged Early? Factors Affecting the Length of Hospital Stay Post-thyroidectomy

Introduction: Thyroidectomy is the most common head-and-neck surgical procedure, generally considered a safe procedure in experienced hands. However, complications following thyroid surgery may occur. Despite its prevalence, there is a lack of studies in Makkah region, Saudi Arabia, on factors affecting the length of hospital stay (LHS) postthyroidectomy. Study Aim: This study aims to determine the factors that increase the LHS postthyroidectomy in a tertiary care center. Subjects and Methods: This retrospective study included 792 patients aged 18 and above who underwent thyroidectomy at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 2012 to 2022. Data from medical records were analyzed using Chi-squared, Mann-Whitney, and Spearman's tests. Results: The mean age of studied patients was 43.03 years, the majority of which were female (84.5). The mean LHS was 3 days. Factors associated with prolonged LHS were: older age (mean 45 years), hypertensive female patients, chronic corticosteroids use, lower preoperative platelet, hematocrit, and calcium levels, as well as reduced postoperative parathyroid hormone and calcium levels, patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, and patients who had papillary carcinoma (P < 0.05). In addition, postoperative complications such as hypoparathyroidism, tracheal injury, hematoma, and infections had longer LHS (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: While early discharge after thyroid surgery may be safe in certain cases, our findings suggest several factors influencing hospital stay duration. Patients presenting with these factors should be carefully evaluated to ensure optimal patient care. Keywords: Head and neck, length of stay, thyroid cancer, thyroid surgery, thyroidectomy