Objectives: Improvement of perioperative management for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) by revising the common clinical path was investigated in multiple hospitals.
Methods: We discussed perioperative outcomes using the common path in 2002 and revised it for 2003. Changes in perioperative outcomes between 2002 and 2003 and differences among hospitals were compared.
Results: There were no statistically significant differences in age, proportion of patients with mildly impaired activity of daily living and/or impaired cognition, general anesthesia, operating duration, resected weight, incidence of intraoperative complications and blood transfusion between 2002 and 2003. Although there were no differences in preoperative hospital stay, re-hospitalization rate and charges for surgery and anesthesia, Foley catheter was removed significantly earlier from postoperative day 2.9 to 2.3 and total medical charge significantly decreased from 43,703 to 39,661 units (1 unit = 10 yen). The incidence of postoperative pyrexia increased from 2.4% to 11.2% in 2003, however, the incidences of epididymitis, postoperative bleeding and postoperative difficulty on micturition remained stable. The average and standard deviation of postoperative hospital stay and total medical charge at each hospital decreased, however, differences among hospitals found in 2002 remained in 2003.
Conclusion: We found that standardization can be accomplished by discussing perioperative management using a common path in multiple hospitals and revising the path as needed. Common clinical path should be a valid method of advancing standardization in Japan.