ERAS pathway adherence in laparoscopic colorectal surgery

Abstract

Background: The purpose of the study was to analyze the adherence to a newly adopted Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program in a nonspecialized center as well as its impact on postoperative outcomes. Methods: All patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery within ERAS protocol in the study period were enrolled. The sample was divided into group 1 (patients with protocol adherence < 85%) and group 2 (patients with protocol adherence > 85%). Clinical outcomes in terms of postoperative complications, readmission, reoperation rates, and length of stay were evaluated in the two groups. Results: A total of 150 patients were included in the study. All procedures were performed laparoscopically (99.3%) except for one case. The overall adherence rate to the ERAS protocol components was 88.0 ± 10.5% and the overall length of stay was 5.9 ± 3.3 days. Group 2 (n = 101) experienced lower length of stay than group 1 (n = 49) (P < 0.028). No differences in postoperative complications, readmission, and reoperation rates were observed between the two groups. Conclusions: The implementation methods were effective in achieving relevant adherence rate and the newly adopted ERAS program applicable even in nonspecialized centers.