The art and science of surgery has evolved and refined tremendously in recent years. We practice fast track surgery these days. Many minor to moderate surgical procedures are done as a day care without the patient staying overnoght in the hospital.
Incisions have become smaller and hence the pain is less and the need for analgesics and sedation has come down. Patients are allowed to take oral fluids / feeds at the earliest usually hours after completion of even major abdominal surgery.
Tubes through nose , drains pipes from the abdomen and other cavities are removed much earlier than they used to be.
All this leads to early return to normal activity and more than that reduces expenditure and costs dratically. So if one is in the need of a surgical procedure - he should choose a centre where these fast-track practises are followed.