BACKGROUND: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS®) describes a multimodal, interdisciplinary and interprofessional treatment concept that optimizes the postoperative convalescence of the patient through the use of evidence-based measures. GOAL OF THE WORK: The aim of this article is to present the experiences of our center certified by the ERAS® Society for colorectal resections 18 months after successful implementation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Since the beginning of the certification 261 patients have been treated in our clinic according to the specifications of the ERAS® concept. As a comparison group the last 50 patients prior to implementation were evaluated in terms of compliance with ERAS® requirements, length of hospital stay and readmission rate, the need for care in an intensive or intermediate care ward, the number of necessary reoperations and the complication rate. RESULTS: Compliance increased from 39.3% preERAS® to 81.1% after ERAS® implementation (p < 0.001). At the same time the length of stay of ERAS® patients was reduced from 7 days to 5 days (p = 0.001). While the rate of surgical complications was the same between the two groups (p = 0.236), nonsurgical complications occurred significantly less frequently in the ERAS® cohort (p = 0.018). DISCUSSION: There are well-known stumbling blocks in implementing and maintaining an ERAS® concept; however, it is worthwhile for the patient to circumnavigate this and establish ERAS® as the standard treatment path.
BACKGROUND: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS®) describes a multimodal, interdisciplinary and interprofessional treatment concept that optimizes the postoperative convalescence of the patient through the use of evidence-based measures. GOAL OF THE WORK: The aim of this article is to present the experiences of our center certified by the ERAS® Society for colorectal resections 18 months after successful implementation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Since the beginning of the certification 261 patients have been treated in our clinic according to the specifications of the ERAS® concept. As a comparison group the last 50 patients prior to implementation were evaluated in terms of compliance with ERAS® requirements, length of hospital stay and readmission rate, the need for care in an intensive or intermediate care ward, the number of necessary reoperations and the complication rate. RESULTS: Compliance increased from 39.3% preERAS® to 81.1% after ERAS® implementation (p < 0.001). At the same time the length of stay of ERAS® patients was reduced from 7 days to 5 days (p = 0.001). While the rate of surgical complications was the same between the two groups (p = 0.236), nonsurgical complications occurred significantly less frequently in the ERAS® cohort (p = 0.018). DISCUSSION: There are well-known stumbling blocks in implementing and maintaining an ERAS® concept; however, it is worthwhile for the patient to circumnavigate this and establish ERAS® as the standard treatment path.
Authors: Laura Isabel Hanke; Nicolas Wachter; Christian Boedecker; Lea Penzkofer; Martina Koch; Sven-Oliver Dietz; Tatjana Tamara König; Markus K Heinemann; Axel Neulen; Sandra Kurz; Hauke Lang; Tobias Huber Journal: Zentralbl Chir Date: 2021-12-06 Impact factor: 0.942