Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Program Attenuates Stress and Accelerates Recovery in Patients After Radical Resection for Colorectal Cancer: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial Fast‐track surgery: the next revolution in surgical care following laparoscopy Adherence to the enhanced recovery after surgery protocol and outcomes after colorectal cancer surgery. A systematic review of enhanced recovery protocols in colorectal surgery. The Impact of Enhanced Recovery Protocol Compliance on Elective Colorectal Cancer Resection: Results From an International Registry. ERAS Protocol Reduces IL-6 Secretion in Colorectal Laparoscopic Surgery: Results From a Randomized Clinical Trial Faster recovery of gastrointestinal transit after laparoscopy and fast-track care in patients undergoing colonic surgery. Fast-track surgery decreases the incidence of postoperative delirium and other complications in elderly patients with colorectal carcinoma Implementing Fast-Track Protocol for Colorectal Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial The future of fast‐track surgery [Application of the protocol of enhanced recovery after surgery in colorectal surgery]. Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Elective Rectal/Pelvic Surgery: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society Recommendations Guidelines for Perioperative Care for Pancreaticoduodenectomy: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society Recommendations Guidelines for perioperative care for pancreaticoduodenectomy: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society recommendations. Use of activity tracking in major visceral surgery—the Enhanced Perioperative Mobilization (EPM) trial: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Elective Colonic Surgery: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society Recommendations The influence of peri-operative factors for accelerated discharge following laparoscopic colorectal surgery when combined with an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway. Perioperative strategy in colonic surgery; LAparoscopy and/or FAst track multimodal management versus standard care (LAFA trial) Fast-Track Surgery Improves Postoperative Clinical Recovery and Immunity After Elective Surgery for Colorectal Carcinoma: Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Versus Conventional Perioperative Care in Rectal Surgery Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols Are Valuable in Pancreas Surgery Patients. Surgical Stress Response and Postoperative Immune Function After Laparoscopy or Open Surgery With Fast Track or Standard Perioperative Care: A Randomized Trial A prospective study on the influence of a fast-track program on postoperative fatigue and functional recovery after major colonic surgery. Enhanced Recovery After Colorectal Surgery (ERAS) in Elderly Patients Is Feasible and Achieves Similar Results as in Younger Patients Laparoscopic-Assisted and Open High Anterior Resection within an ERAS Protocol Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Versus Conventional Postoperative Care in Colorectal Surgery [Value of laparoscopic surgery in elective colorectal surgery with "fast-track"-rehabilitation]. Feasibility of enhanced recovery programme in various patient groups Effect of an enhanced recovery after surgery protocol in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy: A randomized controlled trial. A prospective cohort study to investigate cost-minimisation, of Traditional open, open fAst track recovery and laParoscopic fASt track multimodal management, for surgical patients with colon carcinomas (TAPAS study) Adherence to Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Protocols across a High-Volume Gastrointestinal Surgical Service Enhanced recovery after elective coronary revascularization surgery with minimal versus conventional extracorporeal circulation: a prospective randomized study. Compliance with enhanced recovery after surgery criteria and preoperative and postoperative counselling reduces length of hospital stay in colorectal surgery: results of a randomized controlled trial Improving recovery after elective degenerative spine surgery: 5-year experience with an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol. Surgical Stress Reduction in Elderly Patients Undergoing Elective Colorectal Laparoscopic Surgery within an ERAS Protocol. Eight years of experience with Enhanced Recovery After Surgery in patients with colon cancer: Impact of measures to improve adherence. Does enhanced recovery reduce postoperative ileus after colorectal surgery? Fast-Track Surgery May Reduce Complications Following Major Colonic Surgery Laparoscopy within a fast-track program enhances the short-term results after elective surgery for resectable colorectal cancer Enhanced Recoveryafter Colorectal Surgery. Results from Aprospective Observational Two-Centre Study The effect of formalizing enhanced recovery after esophagectomy with a protocol. Observation of clinical efficacy of application of enhanced recovery after surgery in perioperative period on esophageal carcinoma patients. Patient outcomes and provider perceptions following implementation of a standardized perioperative care pathway for open liver resection A Comparative Study of ‘Fast-Track’ Versus Traditional Peri-Operative Care Protocols in Gastrointestinal Surgeries [Fast track rehabilitation in colonic surgery: results of a prospective trial]. The effect of enhanced recovery program for patients undergoing partial laparoscopic hepatectomy of liver cancer Urethral catheter‐less robotic‐assisted radical prostatectomy Fast-track Surgery in Real Life: How Patient Factors Influence Outcomes and Compliance With an Enhanced Recovery Clinical Pathway After Colorectal Surgery Initial Experiences of an Enhanced Recovery Protocol in Esophageal Surgery Recovery after open and laparoscopic right hemicolectomy: a comparison. Fast track rehabilitation programme enhances functional recovery after laparoscopic colonic resection. Liberal or restrictive fluid administration in fast-track colonic surgery: a randomized, double-blind study. The RAPID protocol enhances patient recovery after both laparoscopic and open colorectal resections Safety and efficacy of an “enhanced recovery after surgery” protocol for patients undergoing colon cancer surgery: a multi-institutional controlled study Safety, feasibility, and tolerance of early oral feeding after colorectal resection outside an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program General anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia ameliorates the effect of fast-track surgery by mitigating immunosuppression and facilitating intestinal functional recovery in colon cancer patients Short-term quality of life in patients undergoing colonic surgery using enhanced recovery after surgery program versus conventional perioperative management Fast-track Surgery Improves Postoperative Recovery in Patients with Gastric Cancer: A Randomized Comparison with Conventional Postoperative Care An Enhanced-Recovery Protocol Improves Outcome After Colorectal Resection Already During the First Year: A Single-Center Experience in 168 Consecutive Patients Epidural versus Continuous Preperitoneal Analgesia during Fast-track Open Colorectal Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial Fast track recovery of high risk coronary bypass surgery patients. Prospective study of colorectal enhanced recovery after surgery in a community hospital. Local wound infiltration plus transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block versus local wound infiltration in laparoscopic colorectal surgery and ERAS program Enhanced Recovery Program following Colorectal Resection in the Elderly Patient Enhanced recovery in colorectal surgery: a multicentre study A comparison in five European Centres of case mix, clinical management and outcomes following either conventional or fast-track perioperative care in colorectal surgery. [Perioperative fast track programs enhance the postoperative recovery after rectal carcinoma resection]. [Tolerance of accelerated postoperative rehabilitation following intestinal resections]. Alvimopan Provides Additional Improvement in Outcomes and Cost Savings in Enhanced Recovery Colorectal Surgery Goal-directed Fluid Therapy Does Not Reduce Primary Postoperative Ileus after Elective Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial Safety and Efficacy of Fast-track Surgery in Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial Multimodal prehabilitation in colorectal cancer patients to improve functional capacity and reduce postoperative complications: the first international randomized controlled trial for multimodal prehabilitation A fast-track program reduces complications and length of hospital stay after open colonic surgery. Intraperitoneal Local Anesthetic Improves Recovery After Colon Resection: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial The influence of preoperative nutritional status on the outcomes of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programme for colorectal cancer surgery EnROL: A multicentre randomised trial of conventional versus laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer within an enhanced recovery programme Laparoscopy in Combination with Fast Track Multimodal Management is the Best Perioperative Strategy in Patients Undergoing Colonic Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial (LAFA-study) Cost-effectiveness of Enhanced Recovery Versus Conventional Perioperative Management for Colorectal Surgery Multicenter randomized controlled trial of conventional versus laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer within an enhanced recovery programme: EnROL. Influences on length of stay in an enhanced recovery programme after colonic surgery Bispectral index-guided general anesthesia in combination with thoracic epidural analgesia reduces recovery time in fast-track colon surgery. Preoperative oral feeding reduces stress response after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The safety of a “fast-track” program after laparoscopic colorectal surgery is comparable in older patients as in younger patients Fast-track in open intestinal surgery: prospective randomized study (Clinical Trials Gov Identifier no. NCT00123456).
Background The aim of this trial was to compare the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ( ERAS ) program with conventional perioperative management in patients who underwent radical resection for colorectal cancer . Methods A combination of evidence -based and consensus methodology was used to develop the ERAS protocol . Five hundred ninety-seven consecutive patients who underwent elective colorectal resection were r and omized to either the ERAS ( n = 299 ) or the  control group ( n = 298 ) . Outcomes relating to nutrition and metabolism index , stress index , and recovery index were measured and recorded . Results Demographic and operative data were similar between the two groups . Patients in the ERAS group showed improved nutritional status when compared with those of the control group . On postoperative day ( POD ) 1 , the HOMA-IR ( insulin resistance index ) of the ERAS group was lower than that of the control group ( p < 0.001 ) . The cortisol level of the control group was elevated on both POD 1 ( p = 0.007 ) and POD 5 ( p = 0.002 ) compared to the preoperative level . However , the cortisol level of the ERAS group was not increased until POD 5 ( p = 0.001 ) . Reduced levels of TNF-α , IL-1β , IL-6 , and IFN-γ in the ERAS group indicated less postoperative stress responses . In addition , ERAS was associated with accelerated recovery of gastrointestinal function . The postoperative length of stay ( p < 0.001 ) and expense ( p < 0.001 ) for the ERAS group were reduced in comparison to the controls . Twenty-eight cases in the control group and twenty-nine in the ERAS group suffered complications , which was not significantly different . Conclusion The ERAS protocol attenuates the surgical stress response and accelerates postoperative recovery without compromising patient safety Fast-track surgery , also named enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) , is in my opinion the most important innovation after the advent of laparoscopy ( in the 1990s ) in the field of  colorectal surgery  ( as in other fields of surgery ) . It is defined as a multimodal pathway aim ing to reduce surgical stress by using pain-free procedures with less organ dysfunction , less morbidity and better recovery . ERAS has been popularized by Henrik Kehlet and his team since the early 2000s [ 1 ] and has rapidly gained popularity around the world because of its remarkable benefits and safety . The concept of ERAS is to make use of the improvement of anaesthetic and analgesic techniques , the development of minimally invasive surgery and evidence -based perioperative care . It involves a number of items , beginning from the first medical visit before surgery to discharge . The items are all evidence based being derived from r and omized controlled trials or meta-analyses . The reader can find the references related to the ERAS items in the valuable consensus review published by the European ERAS group [ 2 ] and the paper of Kehlet and Wilmore [ 3 ] . Through this pathway , the patient can benefit from the best available evidence in anaesthesia , analgesia , perioperative fluid management , surgical procedures , nutrition and ambulation . I will focus in this editorial on the role of ERAS in colorectal surgery , but readers should be aware that ERAS has been applied and vali date d in other abdominal procedures , and in urology , gynaecology , vascular sugery , endocrine surgery , orthopaedic surgery , etc . [ 3 ] . The numerous items or components ( Figure 1 ) involve the preoperative , intra-operative and postoperative periods , necessitating close collaboration between surgeons ( no bowel preparation , no routine nasogastric tube , minimally invasive surgery , no routine abdominal drainage and early postoperative diet ) , anaesthesiologists ( fasting duration of two hours for liquids and six hours for solids , carbohydrate loading , no routine preoperative sedation , avoiding long-acting opioids , epidural analgesia , preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting , preventing intra-operative hypothermia , perioperative fluid restriction and postoperative analgesia ) and nurses and physiotherapists ( early nutrition and mobilisation ) . Several r and omized trials and four meta-analyses [ 4–7 ] have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of ERAS , not only in reducing total length of hospital stay and morbidity , but also in improving patient satisfaction when compared with conventional care . The metaanalyses included both r and omized and non-r and omized studies , the most recent and the largest [ 6 ] showing a reduction of 2.5 days in total hospital stay and significantly less morbidity ( OR 0.54 [ 0.45–0.69 ] ) in favour of the ERAS group , with no difference in readmission rate . A recent meta- analysis focusing on major colorectal surgery demonstrated that the ERAS programme can reduce morbidity by up to 50 % [ 7 ] . ERAS raises three questions . ( i ) What is the respective role of each ERAS item ? ( ii ) Does the ERAS protocol increase the workload of ward nursing staff ? ( iii ) How should this new paradigm be implemented ? Several anaesthesiologists are reluctant to use epidural analgesia in daily practice , mainly when patients are undergoing laparoscopic surgery . Epidural analgesia ( well known to be associated with less pain ) during laparoscopic surgery has been assessed in meta-analyses and r and omized trials but the conclusions are not concordant [ 8,9 ] . In my own daily practice , epidural analgesia is safe and efficacious in relieving pain and allowing early oral intake and mobilization , but it is obvious that its proper role in the ERAS protocol compared with other analgesic regimens such as non-opioid multimodal analgesia , local anaesthesia and continuous wound perfusion , in the era of laparoscopic surgery needs further evaluation . The roleof laparoscopyhas also been debated [ 10 ] . Two small r and omized trials have shown conflicting results [ 11,12 ] , but a recent large r and omized trial [ 13 ] involving four arms ( laparoscopy with ERAS vs laparoscopy with conventional care , vs open surgery with ERAS vs open surgery with conventional care ) has demonstrated a shorter hospital stay after laparoscopic colonic surgery with ERAS , the other outcomes being similar . The conclusion of the authors was that ‘ the most optimal perioperative treatment for patients requiring segmental colectomy for coloncancer is laparoscopic resection embedded in an ERAS program ’ , suggesting that laparoscopic surgery is an important component of ERAS . The same team has performed a futher multivariate linear regression analysis on the same data and showed that the components significantly associated with a successful ERAS programme were laparoscopic surgery , normal diet at postoperative days one , two and three and enforced mobilization at postoperative days one , two and three ( Vlug M , personal communication ) . There is a feeling that the ERAS programme could increase the workload of nursing staff . The nursing OBJECTIVES To study the impact of different adherence levels to the enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) protocol and the effect of various ERAS elements on outcomes following major surgery . DESIGN Single-center prospect i ve cohort study before and after reinforcement of an ERAS protocol . Comparisons were made both between and across periods using multivariate logistic regression . All clinical data ( 114 variables ) were prospect ively recorded . SETTING Ersta Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden . PATIENTS Nine hundred fifty-three consecutive patients with colorectal cancer : 464 patients treated in 2002 to 2004 and 489 in 2005 to 2007 . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The association between improved adherence to the ERAS protocol and the incidence of postoperative symptoms , complications , and length of stay following major colorectal cancer surgery was analyzed . RESULTS Following an overall increase in preoperative and perioperative adherence to the ERAS protocol from 43.3 % in 2002 to 2004 to 70.6 % in 2005 to 2007 , both postoperative complications ( odds ratio , 0.73 ; 95 % confidence interval , 0.55 - 0.98 ) and symptoms ( odds ratio , 0.53 ; 95 % confidence interval , 0.40 - 0.70 ) declined significantly . Restriction of intravenous fluid and use of a preoperative carbohydrate drink were major independent predictors . Across periods , the proportion of adverse postoperative outcomes ( 30-day morbidity , symptoms , and readmissions ) was significantly reduced with increasing adherence to the ERAS protocol ( > 70 % , > 80 % , and > 90 % ) compared with low ERAS adherence ( < 50 % ) . CONCLUSION Improved adherence to the st and ardized multimodal ERAS protocol is significantly associated with improved clinical outcomes following major colorectal cancer surgery , indicating a dose-response relationship INTRODUCTION Colorectal surgery has been associated with a complication rate of 15 - 20 % and mean post-operative inpatient stays of 6 - 11 days . The principles of enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) are well established and have been developed to optimise peri-operative care and facilitate discharge . The purpose of this systematic review is to present an up date d review of peri-operative care in colorectal surgery from the available evidence and ERAS group recommendations . METHODS Systematic search es of the PubMed and Embase ™ data bases and the Cochrane library were conducted . A h and search of bibliographies of identified studies was conducted to identify any additional articles missed by the initial search strategy . RESULTS A total of 59 relevant studies were identified . These included six r and omised controlled trials and seven clinical controlled trials that fulfilled the inclusion criteria . These studies showed reductions in duration of inpatient stays in the ERAS groups compared with more traditional care as well as reductions in morbidity and mortality rates . CONCLUSIONS Review ing the data reveals that ERAS protocol s have a role in reducing post-operative morbidity and result in an accelerated recovery following colorectal surgery . Similarly , both primary and overall hospital stays are reduced significantly . However , the available evidence suggests that ERAS protocol s do not reduce hospital readmissions or mortality . These findings help to confirm that ERAS protocol s should now be implemented as the st and ard approach for peri-operative care in colorectal surgery BACKGROUND The ERAS ( enhanced recovery after surgery ) care has been shown in r and omized clinical trials to improve outcome after colorectal surgery compared to traditional care . The impact of different levels of compliance and specific elements , particularly out with a trial setting , is poorly understood . OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the individual impact of specific patient factors and perioperative enhanced recovery protocol compliance on postoperative outcome after elective primary colorectal cancer resection . METHODS The international , multicenter ERAS registry data , collected between November 2008 and March 2013 , was review ed . Patient demographics , disease characteristics , and perioperative ERAS protocol compliance were assessed . Linear regression was undertaken for primary admission duration and logistic regression for the development of any postoperative complication . FINDINGS A total of 1509 colonic and 843 rectal resections were undertaken in 13 centers from 6 countries .  Median length of stay for colorectal resections was 6 days , with readmissions in 216 ( 9.2 % ) , complications in 948 ( 40 % ) , and reoperation in 167 ( 7.1 % ) of 2352 patients . Laparoscopic surgery was associated with reduced complications [ odds ratio ( OR ) = 0.68 ; P < 0.001 ] and length of stay ( OR = 0.83 , P < 0.001 ) . Increasing ERAS compliance was correlated with fewer complications ( OR = 0.69 , P < 0.001 ) and shorter primary hospital admission ( OR = 0.88 , P < 0.001 ) . Shorter hospital stay was associated with preoperative carbohydrate and fluid loading ( OR = 0.89 , P = 0.001 ) , and totally intravenous anesthesia ( OR = 0.86 , P < 0.001 ) ; longer stay was associated with intraoperative epidural analgesia ( OR = 1.07 , P = 0.019 ) . Reduced postoperative complications were associated with restrictive perioperative intravenous fluids ( OR = 0.35 , P < 0.001 ) . CONCLUSIONS This analysis has demonstrated that in a large , international cohort of patients , increasing compliance with an ERAS program and the use of laparoscopic surgery independently improve outcome Background : Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ( ERAS ) program applied to colorectal laparoscopic surgery is well known to reduce hospitalization improving short-terms outcomes . Its goal is to minimize the surgical stress response in order to maintain the physiological homeostasis altered by surgery . However , there is little knowledge about the involved dynamics in the reduction of the surgical stress that these programs allow . The primary aim of this study was to compare the level of immune and nutritional serum investigators across surgery in patients undergoing elective colorectal laparoscopic surgery within an ERAS protocol or according to a st and ard care program . Material s and Methods : One hundred forty patients undergoing major colorectal laparoscopic surgery  were enrolled and r and omized in 2 groups ( 70 per arm ) . Cortisol , C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , white blood cell count , prolactin , interleukin (IL)-6 levels were collected preoperatively , 1 , 3 , and 5 days after surgery . Transferrin , prealbumin , albumin , and triglyceride level were collected preoperatively , 1 and 5 days after surgery . Short-term outcomes were also prospect ively assessed . Results : IL-6 levels were lower in the ERAS group on 1 , 3 , and 5 days postoperatively ( P<0.05 ) . IL-6 levels in the enhanced group , differently from control group , returned to preoperative level 3 days after surgery . CRP level was lower in the enhanced group on day 1 , 3 , and 5 ( P<0.05 ) . There was no difference in cortisol and prolactin levels between groups . Prealbumin serum level was higher on day 5 ( P<0.05 ) compared to st and ard group . Conclusions : ERAS protocol applied to colorectal laparoscopic surgery affects surgical stress response , decreasing IL-6 and CRP levels postoperatively and improving prealbumin postoperative synthesis BACKGROUND & AIMS Postoperative ileus is characterized by delayed gastrointestinal ( GI ) transit and is a major determinant of recovery after colorectal surgery . Both laparoscopic surgery and fast-track multimodal perioperative care have been reported to improve clinical recovery . However , objective measures supporting faster GI recovery are lacking . Therefore , GI transit was measured following open and laparoscopic colorectal surgery with or without fast-track care . METHODS Patients ( n = 93 ) requiring elective colonic surgery were r and omized to laparoscopic or conventional surgery with fast-track multimodal management or st and ard care  , result ing in 4 treatment arms . Gastric emptying and colonic transit were scintigraphically assessed from days 1 to 3 in 78 patients and compared with clinical parameters such as time to tolerance of solid food and /or bowel movement and time until ( ready for ) discharge . RESULTS A total of 71 patients without mechanical bowel obstructions or surgical complications requiring intervention were available for analysis . No differences in gastric emptying 24 hours after surgery between the different groups were observed ( P = .61 ) . However , the median colonic transit of patients undergoing laparoscopic/fast-track care was significantly faster compared with the laparoscopic/st and ard , open/fast-track , and open/st and ard care groups . Multiple linear regression analysis showed that both laparoscopic surgery and fast-track care were significant independent predictive factors of improved colonic transit . Both were associated with significantly faster clinical recovery and shorter time until tolerance of solid food and first bowel movement . CONCLUSIONS Colonic transit recovers significantly faster after laparoscopic surgery and the fast-track program ; laparoscopy and fast-track care lead to faster recovery of GI motility and improve clinical recovery Objective This study aims to investigate the role of fast-track surgery in preventing the development of postoperative delirium and other complications in elderly patients with colorectal carcinoma . Methods A total of 240 elderly patients with colorectal carcinoma ( aged ≥70 years ) undergoing open colorectal surgery was r and omly assigned into two groups , in which the patients were managed perioperatively either with traditional or fast-track approaches . The length of hospital stay ( LOS ) and time to pass flatus were compared . The incidence of postoperative delirium and other complications were evaluated . Serum interleukin-6 ( IL-6 ) levels were determined before and after surgery . Results The LOS was significantly shorter in the fast-track surgery ( FTS ) group than that in the traditional group . The recovery of bowel movement ( as indicated by the time to pass flatus ) was faster in the FTS group . The postoperative complications including pulmonary infection , urinary infection and heart failure were significantly less frequent in the FTS group . Notably , the incidence of postoperative delirium was significantly lower in patients with the fast track therapy ( 4/117 , 3.4 % ) than with the traditional therapy ( 15/116 , 12.9 % ; p = 0.008 ) . The serum IL-6 levels on postoperative days 1 , 2 , and 3 in patients with the fast-track therapy were significantly lower than those with the traditional therapy ( p < 0.001 ) . Conclusions Compared to traditional perioperative management , fast-track surgery  decreases the LOS , facilitates the recovery of bowel movement , and reduces occurrence of postoperative delirium and other complications in elderly patients with colorectal carcinoma . The lower incidence of delirium is at least partly attributable to the reduced systemic inflammatory response mediated by IL-6 Background Fast-track protocol s are followed by an enhanced recovery , early return to bowel function and to complete nutrition , and a reduced hospital stay . Our study was design ed to implement fast-track protocol in our university hospital . Methods The 96 consecutive patients with colorectal neoplasm included in the study were r and omized in two equal groups : group 1 ( FT ) included patients undergoing colorectal surgery in a fast-track protocol , and group 2 ( C ) included patients undergoing colorectal surgery with a conventional care protocol .  As with other fast-track protocol s , our protocol included carbohydrate fluids load before operation , early mobilization and oral feeding , regular prokinetics , and multimodal postoperative analgesia .  Time to restoration of bowel function , to complete mobilization and feeding , length of hospital stay , and incidence of complications and readmissions were monitored . Results Time to mobilization , restoring of bowel function , and complete oral feeding were significantly shorter with fast-track protocol ( p = 0.001 , p = 0.042 , and p = 0.01 , respectively ) . Hospital stay also was shorter in the fast-track group ( p = 0.001 ) . The incidence of complications did not significantly differ with the study groups . Conclusions In our study , fast-track protocol result ed in a shorter time to mobilization , complete feeding , and discharge from hospital . Fast-track protocol did not increase the incidence of complications . However , we consider that our data require further confirmation with powered multicenter national studies Since its introduction in the 1990s , the concept of multimodal perioperative care ( fast-track surgery , enhanced recovery programmes ) has gained widespread acceptance and is now considered as a st and ard of care . Most studies that support this approach relate to colorectal surgery , but similar data have been published across surgical specialties with major economic benefits 1–4 . The implementation process has been described in detail and is essentially based on the simple question : ‘ Why is the postoperative patient in hospital today?’1,5 . The relevant question may therefore be asked – what next ? Postoperative length of stay is often seen as the key outcome for fast-track surgery and , although this may not always be appropriate , whatever is used as a primary outcome measure must be justified adequately . It should also be emphasized that significant progress in fast-track care dem and s inclusion and implementation of all of its basic components . Many studies have not implemented the most important aspects of the care programmes that were originally described , including patient information , effective thoracic epidural analgesia with sufficient local anaesthetic that facilitates early mobilization , reduced ileus and rapid re introduction of oral feeding , or the use of non-opioid analgesia , where appropriate , in open or minimally invasive surgery . An important issue that needs to be addressed in future is detailed analysis of ‘ medical ’ versus ‘ surgical ’ morbidity6 . To improve further our underst and ing of perioperative risk , future studies must analyse how one specific complication might lead to another : for instance , whether a pneumonia or myocardial infa rct ion led to an anastomotic dehiscence ; or a wound dehiscence with reoperation led to a subsequent pneumonia , myocardial infa rct ion or thromboembolic complication6 . Initial ‘ medical ’ morbidity may depend on perioperative care principles and pre-existing comorbidity , in contrast to an initial ‘ surgical ’ complication , which may depend on surgical technique , and therefore require a different approach from fast-track methodology . How might the fast-track approach evolve further , as surgeons perform an ever-increasing number of major procedures in older patients with comorbidities , with greater risks of postoperative complications , prolonged hospital stay and death6 ? Preoperative evaluation of operative risk may not be helpful unless evidence -based perioperative interventions are available and instituted . Thus , the specific role of preoperative morbidity , such as smoking , diabetes and cardiopulmonary disease , in determining the risk of postoperative morbidity needs to be reassessed in studies with a fully implemented fast-track procedure-specific programme6 . We also need to have a second look at the relative roles of the different components of the fast-track programme ( for example type of analgesia and fluid management1,5 ) and analyse where progress can be made in order to reduce perioperative risk and morbidity , instead of focusing on length of stay as the primary outcome . The surgical stress response is proportional to the degree of insult and the main factor that contributes to postoperative organ dysfunction1,2 . Every effort should therefore be made to reduce those responses that are undesirable . Regional anaesthetic techniques have a powerful effect on the catabolic response , reducing cardiac dem and s , pain , pulmonary dysfunction and ileus .  Regional anaesthesia should be used whenever possible on a procedure-specific basis7 . Inflammatory responses contribute to pain , fatigue and organ dysfunction . They can be modified pharmacologically by preoperative glucocorticoids8 . Significant reductions in pain , nausea and vomiting , and early fatigue have been demonstrated , facilitating early recovery , so far without demonstrable side-effects . More procedure-specific and dosefinding studies are required . A single preoperative glucocorticoid dose in a larger amount than used for conventional nausea and vomiting prophylaxis might , for instance , be an important contributory factor to improving fast-track programmes in high-risk patients . Minimally invasive surgery also reduces the inflammatory response , although the contribution that this plays in the context of fast-track programmes in colonic surgery is difficult to interpret , as the care programmes used in the ‘ open ’ groups have often not been fully implemented6,9,10 . Therefore , future efforts to assess early postoperative outcome effects of minimally invasive surgery should include r and omized studies with fully implemented fasttrack programmes11 . Newer developments in minimally invasive OBJECTIVE To evaluate  enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS ) protocol in colorectal surgery . METHODS From september 2006 to February 2007 , 74 patients with colorectal cancer were r and omly assigned to ERAS group and control group . The stress index , nutrition and metabolism index , intraoperative index and postoperative index were evaluated . RESULTS Six patients were excluded , 3 in ERAS group ( 2 cases received hepatectomy concomitantly and 1 case received partial ileum resection ) , and 3 in control group ( 1 case received hepatectomy  and 1 case received colorectomy concomitantly , another presented asthma paroxysm ) . So there were 34 cases in ERAS group and 34 cases in control , with no statistical differences in sex , age , BMI index and operation types . Deviation of HOMA-IR index of ERAS was lower than the control ( P>0.05 ) , the same as plasma cortisol at the 1st day after operation ( P<0.05 ) , but plasma glucagons in the operation of ERAS group was higher than that of control ( P<0.05 ) . Plasma glucose 1st day after operation of ERAS group was lower than control ( P<0.05 ) , while plasma triglyceride intraoperation , at 1st day , 2nd day after operation of ERAS was higher than control ( P<0.05 ) . Nitrogen negative balance of ERAS group was higher than control at 2nd day after surgery , but is lower intraoperation and at 6th day after operation ( P<0.05 ) . The time of exhaust gas and stool , time to eat fluidity and semi-fluidity , out-of-bed time and exercise time per-day , residual time and complication rate in ERAS group were better than those of control ( P<0.05 ) . Post-operative expenses of ERAS was lower than that of control ( P<0.05 ) . CONCLUSION ERAS can decrease surgical stress , increase functional recovery and reduce complication rate Background This review aims to present a consensus for optimal perioperative care in rectal/pelvic surgery , and to provide grade d recommendations for items for an evidence d-based enhanced recovery protocol . Methods Studies were selected with particular attention paid to meta-analyses , r and omized controlled trials and large prospect i ve cohorts . For each item of the perioperative treatment pathway , available English- language literature was examined , review ed and grade d. A consensus recommendation was reached after critical appraisal of the literature by the group . Results For most of the protocol items , recommendations are based on good- quality trials or meta-analyses of good- quality trials ( evidence grade : high or moderate ) . Conclusions Based on the evidence available for each item of the multimodal perioperative care pathway , the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ( ERAS ) Society , European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism ( ESPEN ) and International Association for Surgical Metabolism and Nutrition ( IASMEN ) present a comprehensive evidence -based consensus review of perioperative care for rectal surgery Background Protocol s for enhanced recovery provide comprehensive and evidence -based guidelines for best perioperative care . Protocol implementation may reduce complication rates and enhance functional recovery and , as a result of this , also reduce length-of-stay in hospital . There is no comprehensive framework available for pancreaticoduodenectomy . Methods An international working group constructed within the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ( ERAS ® ) Society constructed a comprehensive and evidence -based framework for best perioperative care for pancreaticoduodenectomy patients . Data were retrieved from st and ard data bases and personal archives . Evidence and recommendations were classified according to the GRADE system and reached through consensus in the group . The quality of evidence was rated “ high ” , “ moderate ” , “ low ” or “ very low ” . Recommendations were grade d as “ strong ” or “ weak ” . Results Comprehensive guidelines are presented . Available evidence is summarised and recommendations given for 27 care items . The quality of evidence varies substantially and further research is needed for many issues to improve the strength of evidence and grade of recommendations . Conclusions The present evidence -based guidelines provide the necessary platform upon which to base a unified protocol for perioperative care for pancreaticoduodenectomy . A unified protocol allows for comparison between centres and across national borders . It facilitates multi-institutional prospect i ve cohort registries and adequately powered r and omised trials BACKGROUND & AIMS Protocol s for enhanced recovery provide comprehensive and evidence -based guidelines for best perioperative care . Protocol implementation may reduce complication rates and enhance functional recovery and , as a result of this , also reduce length-of-stay in hospital . There is no comprehensive framework available for pancreaticoduodenectomy . METHODS An international working group constructed within the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ( ERAS ® ) Society constructed a comprehensive and evidence -based framework for best perioperative care for pancreaticoduodenectomy patients . Data were retrieved from st and ard data bases and personal archives . Evidence and recommendations were classified according to the GRADE system and reached through consensus in the group . The quality of evidence was rated " high " , " moderate " , " low " or " very low " . Recommendations were grade d as " strong " or " weak " . RESULTS Comprehensive guidelines are presented . Available evidence is summarised and recommendations given for 27 care items . The quality of evidence varies substantially and further research is needed for many issues to improve the strength of evidence and grade of recommendations . CONCLUSIONS The present evidence -based guidelines provide the necessary platform upon which to base a unified protocol for perioperative care for pancreaticoduodenectomy . A unified protocol allows for comparison between centres and across national borders . It facilitates multi-institutional prospect i ve cohort registries and adequately powered r and omised trials Background Enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) programs are aim ed at minimizing postoperative stress and accelerating postoperative recovery by implementing multiple perioperative principles . “ Early mobilization ” is one such principle , but the quality of assessment and monitoring is poor , and evidence of improved outcome is lacking . Activity trackers allow precise monitoring and automatic feedback to the patients to enhance their motivation for early mobilization . The aim of the study is to monitor and increase the postoperative mobilization of patients by giving them continuous automatic feedback in the form of a step count using activity-tracking wristb and s. Methods / design Patients undergoing elective open and laparoscopic surgery of the colon , rectum , stomach , pancreas , and liver for any indication will be included . Further inclusion criteria are age between 18 and 75 years , American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status class less than IV , and a signed informed consent form . Patients will be stratified into two subgroups , laparoscopic and open surgery , and will be r and omized 1:1 for automatic feedback of their step count using an activity tracker wristb and . The control group will have no automatic feedback . The sample size ( n = 30 patients in each of the four groups , overall n = 120 ) is calculated on the basis of an assumed difference in step count of 250 steps daily ( intervention group versus control group ) . The primary study endpoint is the average step count during the first 5 postoperative days ; secondary endpoints are the percentage of patients in the two groups who master the predefined mobilization ( step count ) targets , assessment of additional activity data obtained from the devices , assessment of preoperative mobility , length of hospital and intensive care unit stays , number of patients who receive physiotherapy , 30-day mortality , and overall 30-day morbidity . Discussion Early mobilization is a key element of ERAS . However , enhanced early mobilization is difficult to define , to assess objective ly , and to implement in clinical practice . Consequently , there is a discrepancy between ERAS targets and actual practice , especially in patients undergoing major visceral surgery . This study is the first r and omized controlled trial investigating the use and feasibility of activity tracking to monitor and enhance postoperative early mobilization . Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov identifier : NCT02834338 . Registered on 15 June 2016 Background This review aims to present a consensus for optimal perioperative care in colonic surgery and to provide grade d recommendations for items for an evidence d-based enhanced perioperative protocol . Methods Studies were selected with particular attention paid to meta-analyses , r and omised controlled trials and large prospect i ve cohorts . For each item of the perioperative treatment pathway , available English- language literature was examined , review ed and grade d. A consensus recommendation was reached after critical appraisal of the literature by the group . Results For most of the protocol items , recommendations are based on good- quality trials or meta-analyses of good- quality trials ( quality of evidence and recommendations according to the GRADE system ) . Conclusions Based on the evidence available for each item of the multimodal perioperative care pathway , the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ( ERAS ) Society , International Association for Surgical Metabolism and Nutrition ( IASMEN ) and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism ( ESPEN ) present a comprehensive evidence -based consensus review of perioperative care for colonic surgery INTRODUCTION Laparoscopic surgery is well established in the modern management of colorectal disease . More recently , enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) protocol s have been introduced to further promote accelerated discharge and faster recovery . However , not all patients are suitable for early discharge . The purpose of this study was to evaluate the early outcomes of patients undergoing such a regime to determine which peri-operative factors may predict safe accelerated discharge . METHODS Data were prospect ively collected on consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery .  All patients followed the institution 's ERAS protocol and were discharged once specific criteria were fulfilled . Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between patients who were discharged before and after 72 h post-surgery . Thereafter , the peri-operative factors that were associated with delayed discharge were determined using a binary logistic model . RESULTS Three hundred patients were included in the analysis . The most common operation was laparoscopic anterior resection ( n = 123 , 41 % ) . Mean length of stay was 4.8 days ( st and ard deviation 5.9 ) , with 185 ( 62 % ) patients discharged within 72 h. Ten ( 3 % ) patients had a post-operative complication . Three independent predictors of delayed discharge were identified ; BMI ( OR 1.06 , 95%CI 1.01 - 1.11 ) , operation length ( OR 0.99 , 95%CI 0.98 - 0.99 ) and complications ( OR 16.26 , 95%CI 4.88 - 54.08 ) . CONCLUSIONS A combined approach of laparoscopic surgery and ERAS leads to reduced length of stay . This enables more than 60 % of patients to be discharged within 72 h. Increased BMI , duration of operation and complications post-operatively independently predict a longer length of stay Background Recent developments in large bowel surgery are the introduction of laparoscopic surgery and the implementation of multimodal fast track recovery programs . Both focus on a faster recovery and shorter hospital stay . The r and omized controlled multicenter LAFA-trial ( LAparoscopy and /or FAst track multimodal management versus st and ard care ) was conceived to determine whether laparoscopic surgery , fast track perioperative care or a combination of both is to be preferred over open surgery with st and ard care in patients having segmental colectomy for malignant disease . Methods / design The LAFA-trial is a double blinded , multicenter trial with a 2 × 2 balanced factorial design . Patients eligible for segmental colectomy for malignant colorectal disease i.e. right and left colectomy and anterior resection will be r and omized to either  open or laparoscopic colectomy  , and to either st and ard care or the fast track program . This factorial design produces four treatment groups ; open colectomy with st and ard care ( a ) , open colectomy with fast track program ( b ) , laparoscopic colectomy with st and ard care ( c ) , and laparoscopic surgery with fast track program ( d ) . Primary outcome parameter is postoperative hospital length of stay including readmission within 30 days . Secondary outcome parameters are quality of life two and four weeks after surgery , overall hospital costs , morbidity , patient satisfaction and readmission rate . Based on a mean postoperative hospital stay of 9 + /- 2.5 days a group size of 400 patients ( 100 each arm ) can reliably detect a minimum difference of 1 day between the four arms ( alfa = 0.95 , beta = 0.8 ) . With 100 patients in each arm a difference of 10 % in subscales of the Short Form 36 ( SF-36 ) question naire and social functioning can be detected . Discussion The LAFA-trial is a r and omized controlled multicenter trial that will provide evidence on the merits of fast track perioperative care and laparoscopic colorectal surgery in patients having segmental colectomy for malignant disease Background Few clinical studies or r and omized clinical trial results have reported the impact of fast-track surgery on human immunity . This study aim ed to investigate the clinical and immune impact of fast-track surgery in colorectal cancer patients undergoing elective open surgery . Methods A controlled r and omized clinical trial was conducted from November 2008 to January 2009 with a 1-month postdischarge follow-up . A total of 70 patients with colorectal carcinoma requiring colorectal resection were r and omized into two groups : a fast-track group ( 35 cases ) and a conventional care group ( 35 cases ) . All included patients underwent elective open colorectal resection with combined tracheal intubation and general anesthesia .  Clinical parameters and markers of immune function were evaluated in both groups postoperatively . Results In all , 62 patients completed the study : 32 in the fast-track group and 30 in the conventional care group . Our findings revealed a significantly shorter postoperative hospital stay and faster return of gastrointestinal function in patients undergoing fast-track rehabilitation . In addition , we found a quicker response of white blood cells in the fast-track group than in the conventional care group . We also found that blood levels of globulin , immunoglobulin G , and complement 4 on postoperative day 3 were higher in the fast-track group than in the conventional care group . Conclusions Fast-track surgery accelerates clinical recovery and improves postoperative immunity after elective open surgery for colorectal carcinoma BACKGROUND : Enhanced recovery after surgery programs have been developed to improve recovery , shorten hospital stays , and reduce morbidity . OBJECTIVE : The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of the enhanced recovery program on the outcome of rectal surgery . DESIGN : A cohort of patients who underwent open rectal surgery after an enhanced recovery program was compared with a historic case-matched control group receiving conventional perioperative care . Patients were matched for type of surgery , disease , comorbidity , and demographic characteristics . Data regarding fast-track targets , length of hospital stay , mortality , complications , relaparotomies , and readmissions were collected . RESULTS : Forty-one patients in the enhanced recovery group were compared with 82 case-matched patients receiving conventional care .  The length of hospital stay ( median : 8 days vs 12 days , P < .005 ) was reduced in the enhanced recovery after surgery group . There were no significant differences in epidural use , mortality , morbidity , and readmission rates between groups . LIMITATIONS : This study performed an intention-to-treat analysis for the multimodal enhanced recovery program in rectal surgery . Specific elements of the program were not analyzed separately . The study used nonr and omly assigned historic controls for comparison . CONCLUSION : Enhanced recovery after surgery programs help to reduce the length of hospital stay after rectal surgery BACKGROUND There is increasing interest in implementing comprehensive perioperative protocol s , including preoperative optimization and education , perioperative goal -directed fluid management , and postoperative fast tracking , to enhance recovery after surgery . Data on the outcomes of these protocol s in pancreatic surgery , however , are limited . STUDY DESIGN A retrospective review of a prospect ively maintained pancreas surgery data base at a single institution from August 2012 to April 2015 was undertaken . An enhanced recovery protocol was initiated in October 2014 , and patients were divided into groups according to pre protocol or post protocol implementation . Preoperative , intraoperative , and postoperative data were tabulated . Statistical analysis was performed with Student 's t-test and Fisher 's exact tests , as well as e quality of variances where appropriate , using SAS System software ( SAS Institute ) . RESULTS Three hundred and seventy-eight patients ( 181 men , mean age 54 years , BMI 28 kg/m(2 ) ) underwent elective pancreatic surgery during the study period , 297 patients pre protocol and 81 post protocol . There were no significant differences in preoperative or intraoperative characteristics . Mean postoperative length of stay was significantly lower in the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery group ( 7.4 vs 9.2 days ; p < 0.0001 ) . Hospital costs were similarly lower in the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery group ( $ 23,307.90 vs $ 27,387.80 ; p < 0.0001 ) . Readmission ( 29 % vs 32 % ) and pancreatic fistula ( 26 % vs 28 % ) rates were similar between groups . Delayed gastric emptying was lower in the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery group ( 26 % vs 13 % ; p = 0.03 ) . CONCLUSIONS Implementation of an enhanced recovery after pancreatic surgery protocol significantly decreased length of stay and hospital cost without increasing readmission or morbidity . Despite patient complexity and the potential need for individualization of care , enhanced recovery protocol s can be valuable and effective in high-risk patient population s , including pancreatic surgery patients Objective : To evaluate the effect of  laparoscopic or open colectomy with fast track or st and ard perioperative care on patient 's immune status and stress response after surgery . Methods : Patients with nonmetastasized colon cancer were r and omized to laparoscopic or open colectomy with fast track or st and ard care .  Blood sample s were taken preoperatively ( baseline ) , and 1 , 2 , 24 , and 72 hours after surgery . Systemic HLA-DR expression , C-reactive protein , interleukin-6 , growth hormone , prolactin , and cortisol were analyzed . Results : Nineteen patients were r and omized for laparoscopy and fast track care ( LFT ) , 23 for laparoscopy and st and ard care ( LS ) , 17 for open surgery and fast track care ( OFT ) , and 20 for open surgery and st and ard care ( OS ) . Patient characteristics were comparable . Mean HLA-DR was 74.8 in the LFT group , 67.1 in the LS group , 52.8 in the OFT group , and 40.7 in the OS group . Repeated- measures 2-way analysis of variance ( ANOVA ) showed this can be attributed to type of surgery and not aftercare ( P = 0.002 ) . Interleukin-6 levels were highest in the OS group . Repeated- measures 2-way ANOVA showed this can be attributed to type of surgery and not aftercare ( P = 0.001 ) . C-reactive protein levels were highest in the OS group . Following repeated- measures 2-way ANOVA , this can be attributed to type of surgery and not aftercare ( P = 0.022 ) . Growth hormone was lowest in the LFT group . Following repeated- measures 2-way ANOVA , this can be attributed to type of aftercare and not to type of surgery ( P = 0.033 ) . No differences between the groups were seen regarding prolactin or cortisol . No differences in ( infectious ) complication rates were observed between the groups . Conclusions : This r and omized trial showed that immune function of HLA-DR in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery with fast track care remains highest . This can be attributed to type of surgery and not aftercare . These results may indicate a reason for the accelerated recovery of patients treated laparoscopically within a fast track program as described in the LAparoscopy and /or FAst track multimodal management versus st and ard care ( LAFA-Trial ) ( www.trialregister.nl , protocol NTR222 ) INTRODUCTION Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ( ERAS ) programs have demonstrated significant reduction in hospital stay for patients undergoing colonic surgery ;  however , their impact on long-term outcomes , such as postoperative fatigue ( POF ) , has not been fully established . AIM To assess the impact of an ERAS program on POF and recovery following elective open colonic surgery . METHOD In a prospect i ve study , 26 consecutive patients undergoing open colonic surgery under a conventional care plan were compared with 26 consecutive patients in an ERAS program .  RESULTS Demographic and clinical characteristics were comparable at baseline . The median duration of total hospital stay ( 4 versus 7 d , P < 0.001 ) , rates of urinary tract infections ( P = 0.028 ) and ileus ( P = 0.042 ) were significantly smaller in the ERAS group . Postoperatively , POF significantly increased in both groups . However , peak POF score was significantly lower in the ERAS group ( P = 0.001 ) . In the first 30 d after surgery , Fatigue Consequence scores were also significantly smaller in the ERAS group . Overall , the total fatigue experience ( P = 0.035 ) and the total fatigue impact ( P = 0.005 ) were significantly smaller in the ERAS group . CONCLUSION The impact of ERAS programs may extend beyond the commonly reported short-term outcomes , and ERAS may accelerate overall recovery and return to normal function Aim : Enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) is a multimodal approach that aims to optimize perioperative treatment . Whether elderly patients receiving colorectal surgery can adhere to and benefit from an ERAS approach is uncertain . The aim of this study was to compare patients in different age groups participating in an ERAS program .  Method : In this sub study of a r and omized controlled trial , we analyzed the interventional ERAS arm of adult patients eligible for laparoscopic or open colorectal resection with regard to the importance of age . Patients were divided into three groups based on age : ≤65 years ( n = 79 ) , 66 - 79 years ( n = 56 ) , and ≥80 years ( n = 19 ) . The primary end point was total postoperative hospital stay ( THS ) . Secondary end points were postoperative hospital stay , postoperative complications , postoperative C-reactive protein levels , readmission rate , mortality , and patient adherence to the different  ERAS elements . All parameters and measuring the adherence to the ERAS protocol were recorded before surgery , on the day of the operation , and daily until discharge . Results : There were no significant differences in length of THS between age groups ( ≤65 years , median 5 [ range 2 - 47 ] days ; 66 - 79 years , median 5.5 [ range 2 - 36 ] days ; ≥80 years , median 7 [ range 3 - 50 ] days ; p = .53 ) . All secondary outcomes were similar between age groups . Patient adherence to the ERAS protocol was as good in the elderly as it was in the younger patients . Conclusion : Elderly patients adhered to and benefited from an ERAS program , similar to their younger counterparts Background Due to potentially superior short-term outcomes compared with open colorectal surgery , laparoscopic surgery is currently being implemented in clinical practice worldwide . In parallel , enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) programs are shown to improve postoperative recovery in open colorectal surgery . This study reports outcomes in laparoscopic versus open surgery in conjunction with compliance to the ERAS protocol . Methods The association between surgical approach ( laparoscopic or open surgery ) , compliance to the ERAS protocol , postoperative symptoms , complications , and length of stay after surgery was studied . Between January 2007 to December 2010 , 114 consecutive patients underwent elective high anterior resection with laparoscopic-assisted ( n = 55 ) or open resection ( n = 59 ) . All clinical data ( 114 variables ) were prospect ively recorded . Results The overall preoperative ERAS- protocol compliance was 77 % for both the laparoscopic and open group . Laparoscopic surgery result ed in shorter total length of stay ( median 4 vs. 6 days , p = 0.04 ) , earlier pain control ( median 2 vs. 3 days , p = 0.008 ) , shorter need for intravenous infusions , improved mobilization on the first postoperative day ( POD1 ) , and lower inflammatory response ( CRP ( POD1 ) 54 ± 24 vs. 67 ± 31 mg/l , p = 0.017 ) compared with open resection . The trends in fewer postoperative complications ( 9.1 vs. 16.9 % ; odds ratio ( OR ) 0.55 ; 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) 0.17–1.81 ) and overall postoperative symptoms delaying recovery ( 20 vs. 30.5 % ; OR 0.63 ; 95 % CI 0.22–1.34 ) in laparoscopic surgery were not statistically significant . Conclusions The use of laparoscopy in colorectal surgery within an ERAS protocol results in faster recovery compared with open resection Background Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ( ERAS ) programs are associated with reduced hospital morbidity and mortality . The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the introduction of ERAS care improved the adverse events in colorectal surgery . In a cohort study , mortality , morbidity , and length of stay were compared between ERAS patients and carefully matched historical controls . Methods Patients were matched for their type of disease , the type of surgery , P-Possum ( Portsmouth-Possum ) , CR-Possum ( Colorectal-Possum ) Physiological and Operative Score for Enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity ( POSSUM ) , gender , and American Society of Anesthesiologists ( ASA ) grade . The primary outcome measures of this study were mortality and morbidity . Secondary outcome measures were fluid intake , length of hospital stay , the number of relaparotomies , and the number of readmissions within 30 days . Data on the ERAS patients were collected prospect ively . Results Sixty-one patients treated according to the ERAS program were compared with 122 patients who received conventional postoperative care .  The two groups were comparable with respect to age , ASA grade , P-Possum ( Portsmouth-Possum ) , CR-Possum ( Colorectal-Possum ) score , type of surgery , stoma formation , type of disease , and gender . Morbidity was lower in the ERAS group compared to the control group ( 14.8 % versus 33.6 % respectively ; P = < 0.01 ) . Patients in the ERAS group received significantly less fluid and spent fewer days in the hospital ( median 6 days , range 3–50 vs. median 9 days , range 3–138 ; P = 0.032 ) . There was no difference between the ERAS and the control group for mortality ( 0 % vs. 1.6 % ; P = 0.55 ) and readmission rate ( 3.3 % vs. 1.6 % ; P = 0.60 ) . Conclusion Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program  reduces morbidity and the length of hospital stay for patients undergoing elective colonic or rectal surgery INTRODUCTION Laparoscopic ( LAP ) versus open ( CON ) colonic resection with traditional perioperative care has some short term benefits postoperatively regarding functional recovery . Whether these benefits may also occur when all patients are treated with multimodal " fast-track"-rehabilitation programs is question able . METHODS Patients undergoing elective left sided colonic surgery were prospect ively non r and omised observed . The " fast-track " program included patient information , thoracic peridural analgesia , forced mobilisation and oral intake , and stress reduction . Endpoints were duration of postoperative ileus and hospital stay , general- and local complication , and pulmonary function . RESULTS 147 consecutive patients were operated on , 47 open and 100 laparoscopically . The time until oral intake was completed seemed to be shorter in the LAP-group ( p=0.07 ) followed by a shorter hospital stay ( p<0.01 ) . The pulmonary function was postoperatively improved in the LAP-group compared to the CON-group ( p<0,01 ) . General complications ( LAP 9 % vs. CON 17 % ) were non significantly increased in the CON-group . Local complications increased in the CON-group ( LAP 13 % vs. CON 28 % , p<0,05 ) . CONCLUSION Even with perioperative " fast-track"-rehabilitation programs short term advantages were found in laparoscopic compared with open colonic surgery in a non r and omised population . The clinical relevance should be examined in controlled r and omised trials Introduction An accelerated multi-modal rehabilitation programme may improve the recuperation and reduce the complication rate in patients undergoing colorectal surgery . The aim of this study was to see whether fast-track recovery is feasible in various patient groups . Patients and methods Data on all patients operated for intestinal pathology from July 2006–April 2008 were prospect ively collected for this prospect i ve study . All included patients entered a multi-modal rehabilitation programme .  Peri- and postoperative complications and readmissions , pathology reports and operation characteristics were recorded prospect ively . Results Three hundred and forty-eight patients underwent colorectal surgery .  No difference in readmission rate was found between various patient groups . The only significant differences after multivariate regression analysis were in re-operation rate and length of stay in favour of the elective surgery group . Conclusions Fast-track modalities can be introduced with a low complication rate in all patient groups . Length of stay in elderly patients averages 10 days , implying that this group can not be considered as “ fast track ” , although the same protocol can also be applied in this group . Better organization of the aftercare might however considerably change the length of stay of elderly patients , since postoperative complications do not differ between old and young patients BACKGROUND & AIMS Evidence of the advantages of enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) protocol s following pancreaticoduodenectomy ( PD ) is limited . The aim of this study was to examine the efficiency of ERAS protocol s in patients following PD . METHODS Between June 2014 and October 2016 , patients undergoing PD were r and omly assigned to receive ERAS protocol s or st and ard care . The primary endpoint was the postoperative length of stay . Secondary endpoints included postoperative complications , postoperative quality -of-life ( QoR-40J ) , readmission , and medical cost . RESULTS Of 80 eligible patients , 74 were analyzed in intention-to-treat principles : 37 in the control group and 37 in the ERAS group . The mean length of stay in the ERAS group was significantly shorter than that in the control group ( 20.1 ± 5.4 vs 26.9 ± 13.5 days , P < 0.001 ) . The ERAS group had a significantly lower percentage of postoperative complications ( 32.4 % vs 56.8 % , P = 0.034 ) and readmissions ( 0 % vs 8.1 % , P = 0.038 ) . Quality -of-life was also significantly better in the ERAS group ( 184 ± 12.4 vs 177 ± 14.5 , P = 0.022 ) . The total medical cost was lower in the ERAS group , but not significantly ( $ 25,445 ± 5065 vs $ 28,384 ± 9999 , P = 0.085 ) . CONCLUSIONS The optimization of ERAS protocol s in patients undergoing PD  is safe and accelerates perioperative recovery and quality -of-life , thereby reducing the length of stay . Morbidity was significantly decreased in the ERAS group without compromising surgical outcome . REGISTRATION NUMBER UMIN000014068 Background The present developments in colon surgery are characterized by two innovations : the introduction of the laparoscopic operation technique and fast recovery programs such as the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ( ERAS ) recovery program . The Tapas- study was conceived to determine which of the three treatment programs : open conventional surgery , open ' ERAS ' surgery or laparoscopic ' ERAS ' surgery for patients with colon carcinomas is most cost minimizing ? Method / design The Tapas- study is a three-arm multicenter prospect i ve cohort study .All patients with colon carcinoma , eligible for surgical treatment within the study period in four general teaching hospitals and one university hospital will be included . This design produces three cohorts : Conventional open surgery is the control exposure ( cohort 1 ) . Open surgery with ERAS recovery ( cohort 2 ) and laparoscopic surgery with ERAS recovery ( cohort 3 ) are the alternative exposures . Three separate time periods are used in order to prevent attrition bias . Primary outcome parameters are the two main cost factors : direct medical costs ( real cost price calculation ) and the indirect non medical costs ( friction method ) . Secondary outcome parameters are mortality , complications , surgical-oncological resection margins , hospital stay , readmission rates , time back to work/recovery , health status and quality of life . Based on an estimated difference in direct medical costs ( highest cost factor ) of 38 % between open and laparoscopic surgery ( alfa = 0.01 , beta = 0.05 ) , a group size of 3 × 40 = 120 patients is calculated . Discussion The Tapas- study is three-arm multicenter cohort study that will provide a cost evaluation of three treatment programs for patients with colon carcinoma , which may serve as a guideline for choice of treatment and investment strategies in hospitals . Trial registration IS RCT N44649165 Background and Aims : Enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) has been shown to improve outcomes for patients following gastrointestinal surgery . Data on protocol adherence and how this impacts on outcome are limited . This study examines how protocol adherence changes over time and determines how this impacts on outcome across a large-volume gastrointestinal surgical service . Material s and Methods : A prospect i ve review of patients eligible for colorectal , liver and oesophagogastric ERAS over two 3-month periods in 2010 and 2011 was performed . End points included : length of stay ( LOS ) , overall protocol adherence , individual modality adherence , reason for pathway deviation and patient outcomes . Results : 172 patients ( 110 colorectal , 31 liver and 31 oesophagogastric ) were evaluated . For each sub-speciality , the introduction of ERAS led to significant reductions in LOS that were sustained for the duration of the study . Adherence was achieved across 60 % ( colorectal ) , 75 % ( liver ) and 88 % ( oesophagogastric ) of individual pathway modalities . The major causes of pathway deviation were : post-operative nausea and vomiting ( colorectal ) , pain ( liver ) and pulmonary complications ( oesophagogastric ) . Conclusions : Large-scale implementation of ERAS at a high-volume centre is feasible and offers many of the benefits demonstrated in controlled trials , but adherence may diminish over time OBJECTIVE A minimal extracorporeal circulation ( MECC ) circuit integrates the advances in cardiopulmonary bypass ( CPB ) technology into a single circuit and is associated with improved short-term outcome . The aim of this study was to prospect ively evaluate MECC compared with conventional CPB in facilitating fast-track recovery after elective coronary revascularization procedures . DESIGN Prospect i ve r and omized study . SETTING All patients scheduled for elective coronary artery surgery were evaluated , excluding those considered particularly high risk for fast-track failure . The fast-track protocol included careful preoperative patient selection , a fast-track anesthetic technique based on minimal administration of fentanyl , surgery at normothermia , early postoperative extubation in the cardiac recovery unit , and admission to the cardiothoracic ward within the first 24 hours postoperatively . PARTICIPANTS One hundred twenty patients were assigned r and omly into 2 groups ( 60 in each group ) . INTERVENTIONS Group A included patients who were operated on using the MECC circuit , whereas patients in Group B underwent surgery on conventional CPB . MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Incidence of fast-track recovery was significantly higher in patients undergoing MECC ( 25 % v 6.7 % , p = 0.006 ) . MECC also was recognized as a strong independent predictor of early recovery , with an odds ratio of 3.8 ( p = 0.011 ) . Duration of mechanical ventilation and cardiac recovery unit stay were significantly lower in patients undergoing MECC together with the need for blood transfusion , duration of inotropic support , need for an intra-aortic balloon pump , and development of postoperative atrial fibrillation and renal failure . CONCLUSIONS MECC promotes successful early recovery after elective coronary revascularization procedures , even in a nondedicated cardiac intensive care unit setting The aim of this r and omized clinical trial was to compare patients treated using a multimodal approach [ enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) ]  , with a special focus on counselling , to patients treated in a st and ard conventional care pathway , who underwent elective colorectal resection OBJECTIVE Enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) has led to a paradigm shift in various surgical specialties . Its application can result in substantial benefits in perioperative healthcare utilization through preoperative physical and mental patient optimization and modulation of the recovery process . Still , ERAS remains relatively new to spine surgery . The authors report their 5-year experience , focusing on ERAS application to a broad population of patients with degenerative spine conditions undergoing elective surgical procedures , including anterior lumbar interbody fusion ( ALIF ) . METHODS A multimodal ERAS protocol was applied between November 2013 and October 2018 . The authors analyze hospital stay , perioperative outcomes , readmissions , and adverse events obtained from a prospect i ve institutional registry .  Elective tubular microdiscectomy and mini-open decompression as well as minimally invasive ( MI ) anterior or posterior fusion cases were included . Their institutional ERAS protocol contains 22 pre- , intra- , and postoperative elements , including preoperative patient counseling , MI techniques , early mobilization and oral intake , minimal postoperative restrictions , and regular audits . RESULTS A total of 2592 consecutive patients were included , with 199 ( 8 % ) undergoing fusion . The mean hospital stay was 1.1 ± 1.2 days , with 20 ( 0.8 % ) 30-day and 36 ( 1.4 % ) 60-day readmissions . Ninety-four percent of patients were discharged after a maximum 1-night hospital stay . Over the 5-year period , a clear trend toward a higher proportion of patients discharged home after a 1-night stay was observed ( p < 0.001 ) , with a concomitant decrease in adverse events in the overall cohort ( p = 0.025 ) and without increase in readmissions . For fusion procedures , the rate of 1-night hospital stays increased from 26 % to 85 % ( p < 0.001 ) . Similarly , the average length of hospital stay decreased steadily from 2.4 ± 1.2 days to 1.5 ± 0.3 days ( p < 0.001 ) , with a notable concomitant decrease in variance , result ing in an estimated reduction in nursing costs of 46.8 % . CONCLUSIONS Application of an ERAS protocol over 5 years to a diverse population of patients undergoing surgical procedures , including ALIF , for treatment of degenerative spine conditions was safe and effective , without increase in readmissions . The data from this large case series stress the importance of the multidisciplinary , iterative improvement process to overcome the learning curve associated with ERAS implementation , and the importance of a dedicated perioperative care team . Prospect i ve trials are needed to evaluate spinal ERAS on a higher level of evidence ERAS program applied to colorectal laparoscopic surgery is well known to reduce hospitalization improving short terms outcomes and minimizing the Surgical Stress Response . However its effectiveness in elderly population is yet to be demonstrated . The primary aim of this study is to compare the level of immune and nutritional serum indexes across surgery in patients aged over 70 years old undergoing elective colorectal laparoscopic surgery within an ERAS protocol or according to a St and ard program . 83 patients undergoing colorectal laparoscopic surgery were enrolled and r and omized in two groups ( ERAS Group 40 , St and ard Group 43 ) within a larger r and omized trial on a general population . Surgical stress parameters were collected preoperatively , 1 , 3 and 5 days after surgery . Nutritional parameters were collected preoperatively , 1 and 5 days after surgery . Short Term Outcomes were also prospect ively assessed . IL-6 levels were lower in the EG on 1 , 3 , and 5 days post-operatively ( p 0.05 ) . IL-6 levels in the Enhanced group returned to pre operative level 3 days after surgery . C-reactive protein level was lower in the Enhanced group on day 1 , 3 , and 5 ( p 0.05 ) . There was no difference in Cortisol and Prolactin levels between groups . Prealbumin serum level was higher on day 5 ( p 0.05 ) compared to st and ard group . Postoperative outcomes in terms of normal bowel function and length of hospital stay were significantly improved in the ERAS group . Colorectal laparoscopic surgery within an ERAS prototcol in elderly patients affects Surgical Stress Response , decreasing IL-6 and CRP levels postoperatively and improving Prealbumin post operative synthesis BACKGROUND Perioperative treatment of patients with colorectal cancer according to the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ( ERAS ) protocol has proven to reduce complications and duration of stay . However , strict adherence remains a challenge and the benefits may decrease with lower adherence . In this study , we report on 8 years of adherence to the ERAS protocol and its effect on postoperative outcome in patients with colon cancer . METHODS In 2006 , the ERAS protocol was introduced for treatment of colon cancer patients in the Medical Center Alkmaar , a large teaching hospital . Patients scheduled for elective colon cancer resection were included in this study . Adherence to ERAS items was monitored and along with clinical data prospect ively gathered in a data base . In 2011 , several measures to improve adherence were implemented . RESULTS In total , 816 patients were included .  Mean adherence rate was 73 % in 2006 and 2007 , 66 % in 2008 and 2009 , 63 % in 2010 and 2011 , and 82 % in 2012 and 2013 . There was a shorter duration of stay in the years with high adherence ( 5.7 days ) compared with the years with low adherence ( 7.3 days ; P < .001 ) . The ERAS items that were the strongest predictors for a shorter duration of stay were no nasogastric tube , early mobilization , early oral nutrition , early removal of epidural , early removal of catheter , and nonopioid oral analgesia . CONCLUSION It is possible to improve adherence to the ERAS protocol and related outcomes with specific measures . Adherence to the ERAS protocol was related inversely to duration of stay . Only postoperative items of the ERAS protocol were predictive for a shorter duration of stay . Keeping adherence optimal remains an ongoing challenge that requires repeated training and dedicated personnel INTRODUCTION While enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) has been proven to improve results in colorectal operations with regard to morbidity and duration of hospital stay , its impact on recovery of bowel motility is poorly documented . The aims of this study were to assess the impact of ERAS on bowel motility recovery , and to assess the consequences of the definition of postoperative ileus on its reported incidence in the literature . MATERIAL AND METHODS This is a single-center prospect i ve observational study of consecutive patients who underwent colorectal resection with anastomosis over a period of 17 months .  Global resumption of intestinal transit ( GROT ) was defined as passage of stool combined with alimentary tolerance of solid food . RESULTS One hundred and thirty-one patients were included . A median of 14 items ( range : 13 - 16 ) was complied out of 19 observable items in the protocol . Median time to passage of flatus ( MTPF ) was 2 days and the GROT was 3 days . The time interval to MTPF as well as to GROT decreased as adherence to the ERAS protocol increased ( respectively P<0.001 , r2=0.11 and P=0.04 , r2=0.06 ) . The incidence of postoperative " ileus " varied from 1.5 % to 61.8 % depending on the interval chosen to define ileus ( cut-off from 1 to 7 days ) . Adherence to≥85 % of the items in the ERAS protocol protected patients from " prolonged ileus " , i.e. , lasting≥4 days ( OR=0.35 ; 95 % CI=0.15 to 0.83 ) . CONCLUSION The implementation of and compliance with an ERAS protocol allowed a reduction in the time to GROT . There is a need for a consensual definition of postoperative ileus Purpose Fast-track ( enhanced recovery ) care pathways for colonic surgery are becoming increasingly popular ; however , there have been concerns regarding protocol compliance , high readmission rates , and also the true impact on morbidity rates with these protocol s. This study was conducted to assess the impact of a fast-track program for colonic surgery on hospital stay , complications , and readmission rates . Methods From December 2005 to March 2007 , consecutive patients undergoing colonic surgery were prospect ively studied . The comparison group consisted of a comorbidity-matched group of patients who had undergone similar surgery before establishment of the fast-track program .  Results Fifty patients were included in each group . Groups were comparable at baseline . The fast-track group received significantly smaller amounts of intraoperative and postoperative intravenous fluids , were fed earlier , mobilized earlier , passed flatus earlier , and were discharged earlier than the comparison group ( 4 vs. 6.5 days , P < 0.001 ) . The numbers of patients with urinary infections ( 2 vs. 12 , P = 0.008 ) , ileus ( 5 vs. 18 , P = 0.005 ) , and cardiopulmonary complications ( 11 vs. 21 , P = 0.032 ) were significantly lower in the fast-track group . There was no difference in the rate of readmission . Conclusion Fast-track is a safe and effective approach for reducing hospital stay and morbidity following major colonic surgery Background Whether laparoscopic colorectal resection improved recovery within an enhanced recovery program was investigated . Methods This study was design ed as a query of a prospect ively maintained colorectal data base to identify 350 patients who underwent elective colorectal resection with primary anastomosis for colorectal cancer between January 1 , 2005 and December 31 , 2009 . Patients were categorized into two groups ( laparoscopic and open resection ) , and demographic , treatment , and outcome variables were independently review ed for accuracy . A detailed fast-track protocol was prepared and distributed to all patients , department doctors , and nurses to st and ardize the treatment . Results A total of 209 patients underwent laparoscopic-assisted colorectal resection , and 141 had open surgery .  There was no difference between the two groups in terms of age , sex , BMI , ASA , comorbidity , previous abdominal surgery , preoperative chemoradiotherapy , cancer site , and AJCC 2002 staging . Twenty-three patients in the laparoscopic group required conversion to an open procedure due to hemorrhage , tumor extension , or technical difficulties . Laparoscopic patients had earlier tolerance of diet , bowel movement , flatus and stool canalization , mobilization , suction drain removal , and interruption of analgesic drug administration . Length of postoperative stay was shorter ( 4 vs. 7 days , p = 0.0004 ) and fewer postoperative nonsurgical complications ( 3 vs. 13 % p = 0.009 ) were registered for the laparoscopic group . Conclusions This study suggests that within an enhanced recovery program , laparoscopic resection may provide the best short-term clinical outcomes for patients with resectable colorectal cancer Background and Aims : Enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) has reduced the median hospital stay from 8–10 days with traditional peri-operative routines to four days . The aim of the present study was to introduce the principles of ERAS in our hospital and measure the effect on hospital stay , complications and quality of life after discharge from hospital . Material and Methods : 94 consecutive patients , 40 males , 54 females , median age 66 years , were included in a prospect i ve non-r and omised observational study at Haukel and University Hospital and Haugesund Hospital from October 2000 until February 2003 . After a three-month preparation period , the principles of ERAS were implemented . The results were evaluated with question naires and by follow-ups 8–10 and 30 days after surgery . The results were compared to the results of colorectal surgery before introduction of accelerated recovery . Results : 45 ( 48 % ) and 73 ( 78 % ) patients were discharged within three and five days after surgery with ERAS , compared to zero and seven ( 5 % ) patients with traditional recovery . The complication rate with ERAS was 31 % , and the readmission rate was 15 % . After one week , 57 % had resumed their daily activities at home . After 30 days , 65 % of the patients had resumed their normal and leisure activities . Conclusion : After a proper preparation period , ERAS principles may be implemented in surgical department , and is followed by a reduced median hospital stay and rapid return to normal daily activities for most patients after colorectal surgery Enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) pathways aim to accelerate functional return and discharge from hospital . They have proven effective in many forms of surgery , most notably colorectal . However , experience in esophagectomy has been limited . A recent study reported significant reductions in pulmonary complications , mortality , and length of stay following the introduction of an ERAS protocol alone , without the introduction of any clinical changes . We instituted a similar change 16 months ago , introducing a protocol to provide a formal framework , for our existing postoperative care . This retrospective analysis compared outcome following esophagectomy for the 16 months before and 20 months after this change . Data were collected from prospect ively maintained secure web-based multidisciplinary data bases . Complication severity was classified using the Clavien-Dindo scale . Operative mortality was defined as death within 30 days of surgery , or at any point during the same hospital admission . Lower respiratory tract infection was defined as clinical evidence of infection , with or without radiological signs . Respiratory complications included lower respiratory tract infection , pleural effusion ( irrespective of drainage ) , pulmonary collapse , and pneumothorax . Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v21 . One hundred thirty-two patients underwent esophagectomy ( 55 protocol group ; 77 before ) . All were performed open . There were no differences between the two groups in terms of age , gender , operation , use of neoadjuvant therapy , cell type , stage , tumor site , or American Society of Anesthesiologists grade . Median length of stay was 14.0 days ( protocol ) compared with 12.0 before ( interquartile range 9 - 19 and 9.5 - 15.5 , respectively ; P = 0.073 , Mann-Whitney U-test ) . Readmission within 30 days of discharge occurred in five ( 9.26 % ) and six ( 8.19 % ; P = 1.000 , Fisher 's exact test ) . There were four in-hospital deaths ( 3.03 % ) : one ( 1.82 % ) and three ( 3.90 % ) , respectively ( P = 0.641 ) . There were no differences in the severity of complications ( P = non-significant ; Pearson 's chi-squared ) . There were no differences in the type of complications occurring in either group . The protocol was completed successfully by 26 ( 47.3 % ) . No baseline factors were predictive of this . In contrast to previous studies , we did not demonstrate any improvement in outcome by formalizing our existing pathway using a written protocol . Consequently , improvements in short-term outcome from esophagectomy within ERAS would seem to be primarily due to improvements in components of perioperative care . Consequently , we would recommend that centers introducing new ( or review ing existing ) ERAS pathways for esophagectomy focus on optimizing clinical aspects of such st and ardized pathways PURPOSE To observe the clinical efficacy of the application of enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) in the perioperative period of esophageal carcinoma patients . METHODS A total of 114 patients who were admitted to Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University for surgical treatment of esophageal carcinoma between June 2012 and June 2016 were enrolled and r and omly divided into the intervention group and the regular group according to the difference of management procedures during the perioperative period . ERAS was carried out in 57 patients in the intervention group , while conventional management procedures were applied in 57 patients in the regular group . Thereafter , compared were the fluctuations in nutritional indicators and immunological indicators , postoperative complications , time to recovery of gastrointestinal function , length of stay ( LOS ) in hospital and cost of patients between the two groups . RESULTS Seven days post-operation in the intervention group , the evaluation indexes of nutrition status , including total protein ( TP ) , albumin ( ALB ) , prealbumin ( PA ) and transferrin ( TF ) , and of immunological functions , including immunoglobulin G ( IgG ) , immunoglobulin A ( IgA ) , immunoglobulin M ( IgM ) and total blood lymphocyte count ( TLC ) , were significantly higher than those in the regular group . As for postoperative complications , the incidence rate of the intervention group was remarkably lower than that of the regular group ; the recovery time of gastrointestinal function in the intervention group was shorter than that in the regular group ; the LOS in the intervention group was also shorter than that in the regular group ; the in-hospital cost in the intervention group was also lower than that in the regular group . All differences above were statistically significant ( p<0.05 ) . CONCLUSION During the perioperative period of esophageal carcinoma patients , ERAS should be fully applied to sustain the good status , and promote the recovery of immunological functions and gastrointestinal functions ; at the same time , ERAS also reduces the incidence rate of postoperative complications , LOS and in-hospital cost , and we maintain that ERAS should be performed in clinical practice Enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) pathways have been associated with improved perioperative outcomes following several surgical procedures . Less is known , however , regarding their use following hepatic surgery Introduction A ‘ fast-track protocol ’ in surgery suggests the application of evidence -based practice s to expedite patient recovery . It has shown to reduce hospital stay , hasten recovery as well as facilitate earlier return to work . It has a considerable impact in reducing healthcare costs . The basic tenet is to treat the patient ’s disease by minimal disturbance of their physiology . The protocol encompasses pre-operative , intra-operative and post-operative interventions which when carried out together would show maximal benefits . The surgeon is usually the leader of the team managing the patient , but it can not be over-emphasised that this is a multi-disciplinary team approach . Material s and Methods We conducted a prospect i ve interventional study to investigate whether ‘ fast-track ’ surgery protocol s improve patient outcome when compared to traditional peri-operative care followed at our institute . By doing so , we observed that the patients who underwent ‘ fast tracking ’  required lesser analgesia , had earlier ambulation , earlier return of intestinal motility , were free from tubes , catheters and drains earlier and lastly were discharged earlier . This was achieved without a rise in complications or re-admissions . Results / Conclusion The results have proved that implementing the fast-track protocol for gastrointestinal surgeries is not only safe and effective , but also improves patient outcome OBJECTIVE In elective large bowel surgery the incidence of general complications with st and ard perioperative care is up to 27 % . Hospital discharge occurs 10 to 15 days after a conventional or laparoscopic colonic resection . The aim of a fast track management is to reduce the number of general complications and the length of hospital stay . MATERIAL AND METHODS We prospect ively evaluated a multimodal protocol in our service utilizing a combined thoracic epidural analgesia , an early mobilization and oral nutrition to accelerate postoperative recovery after elective colonic surgery  . RESULTS One hundred thirty-two consecutive patients aged an average of 66 years ( range 22 - 88 ) were operated by laparotomy ( n = 71 ) or laparoscopy ( n = 61 ) and treated with the fast track rehabilitation protocol .  Surgical complications occurred in 15 patients ( 11 % ) , four of these had an anastomotique leakage ( 3 % ) . General complications occurred in 11 patients ( 8 % ) , the mortality was 1 % . The median length of hospital stay was four days ( range 3 - 77 ) and 14 patients ( 11 % ) had to be readmitted . CONCLUSION Application of a fast track rehabilitation protocol lowered the number of general complications and reduced the duration of hospital stay in our study Objective To analyze the results after the introduction of enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) protocol s , a r and omized study was performed to compare the outcomes of laparoscopic hepatectomy under ERAS or traditional care . Methods Patients undergoing laparoscopic hepatectomy from April 2014 to October 2014 were included and r and omly divided into Control group ( CG ) and ERAS . Primary outcome was quality of life ( QoL ) and length of hospital stay ( LOS ) . Secondary endpoints were percentage readmission , mortality , duration to first flatus , complications , hospital costs , conversions and blood loss . Results Thirteen patients withdrew after r and omization . Eighty-six patients completed the study , 48 ERAS and 38 CG . Postoperative LOS was significantly reduced in ERAS [ 6 ( 4–8 ) versus 10 ( 7–15 ) days , P = 0.04 ] . First flatus occurred earlier in ERAS than CG [ 2(1–4 ) versus 3(2–5 ) days , P = 0.02 ] . The average perioperative charges were 9470 ± 1540 in CG and only 7742 ± 1200 in ERAS ( P = 0.03 ) , with no differences in readmission rate , blood loss , conversions to open surgery , mortality or surgical complications . The median AUC ( area under a curve ) of QoL was considerably improved in ERAS ( P = 0.04 ) . Conclusions This study suggests that ERAS is feasible and safe for laparoscopic hepatectomy © 2 0 1 0 T H E A U T H O R S J O U R N A L C O M P I L A T I O N © 2 0 1 0 B J U I N T E R N A T I O N A L 1 2 0 1 8 Faiz O , Brown T , Colucci G , Kennedy RH . A cohort study of results following  elective colonic resection  within an enhanced recovery programme . Colorectal Dis 2009 ; 11 : 366–72 9 Lassen K , Soop M , Nygren J et al. Consensus review of optimal perioperative care in colorectal surgery . Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ( ERAS ) Group Recommendations . Arch Surg 2009 ; 144 : 961–9 10 Halaszynski TM , Juda R , Silverman DG . Optimizing postoperative outcomes with efficient preoperative assessment and management . Crit Care Med 2004 ; 32 ( Suppl . ) : S76–86 11 Guenaga KF , Matos D , Castro AA , Atallah A , Wille-Jorgensen P. Mechanical bowel preparation for elective colorectal surgery . Cochrane Data base Syst Rev 2005 ; ( 1 ) : CDOO1544 12 Shafii M , Murphy DM , Donovan MG , Hickey DP . Is mechanical bowel preparation necessary in patients undergoing cystectomy and urinary diversion . BJU Int 2002 ; 89 : 879–81 13 Smith AF , Pittaway AJ . Premedication for anxiety in adult day surgery : up date of Cochrane Data base Syst Rev 2000 : CD002192 . Cochrane Data base Syst Rev 2003 ; ( 1 ) : CD002192 14 Gerts WH , Pineo GF , Heit JA et al. Prevention of venous thromboembolism : the seventh ACCP Conference on Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy . Chest 2004 ; 126 : 338S–400S 15 Fearon KC , Luff R. The nutritional management of surgical patients : enhanced recovery after surgery . Proc Nutr Soc 2003 ; 62 : 807–11 16 Noblett SE , Watson DS , Huong H , Davison B , Hainsworth PJ , Horgan AF . Pre-operative oral carbohydrate loading in colorectal surgery : a r and omized controlled trial . Colorectal Dis 2006 ; 8 : 563–9 17 Wong PF , Kumar S , Bohra A et al. R and omized clinical trial of perioperative systemic warming in major elective abdominal surgery . Br J Surg 2007 ; 94 : 421–6 18 Ratnaraj J , Kabon B , Talcoff MR , Sessler DI , Kurz A. Supplemental oxygen and carbon dioxide each increase subcutaneous and intestinal intramural oxygenation . Anesth Analg 2004 ; 99 : 207–11 19 Grief R , Akça O , Horn EP , Kurz A , Sessler DI . Supplemental perioperative oxygen to reduce the incidence of surgical wound infection . Outcomes Research Group . N Engl J Med 2000 ; 342 : 161–7 20 Grief R , Laciny S , Rapf B , Hickle RS , Sessler DI . Supplemental oxygen reduces the incidence of post operative nausea and vomiting . Anesthesiology 1999 ; 91 : 1246–52 21 HTA . Full report : systematic review of the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of oesophageal Doppler monitoring in critically ill and high risk surgical patients . Available at : http:// www.hta.ac.uk/project/.asp . Accessed 5 December 2009 22 Cepeda MS , Carr DB , Mir and a N , Diaz A , Silva C , Morales O. Comparison of morphine , ketorolac , and their combination for postoperative pain : results from a large , r and omised , double blind trial . Anaesthesiology 2005 ; 103 : 1225–32 23 Arumainayagam N , McGrath J , Jefferson KP , Gillatt DA . Introduction of an enhanced recovery protocol for radical cystectomy . BJU Int 2008 ; 101 : 698–701 24 Pruthi RS , Chun J , Richman M. Reducing time to oral diet and hospital discharge in patients undergoing radical cystectomy using a perioperative care plan . Urology 2003 ; 62 : 661–6 25 Chang SS , Baumgartner RG , Wells N et al. Causes of increased hospital stay after radical cystectomy in a clinical pathway setting . J Urol 2002 ; 167 : 208– The aim of this prospect i ve cohort study was to identify the patient factors that predict postoperative deviation from each item of a fast-track colorectal surgery protocol ( FT ) and these factors ’ influences on postoperative outcomes . A total of 606 patients with colorectal pathology from 2005 to 2011 were analyzed to assess the relationships between patient factors , the outcome variables , and the items of the FT program . The median length of stay was 5 days , and readmission rate was 2.3 % . The morbidity rate was 26.7 % . Independent predictors of prolonged length of stay were older than 75 years of age , ASA grade 3 and 4 , and the presence of an ileostomy . Independent predictors of morbidity were age above 75 years old and ASA grade , whereas age was confirmed as an independent predictor of mortality . Male sex , age above 75 years old , and ASA 3 and 4 were identified as independent predictors of negative compliance to most of the postoperative FT items Background A recent development in gastrointestinal surgery is the implementation of enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) programs . Evidence regarding the benefit of these programs in patients undergoing esophageal surgery is scarce . We investigated the feasibility and possible benefit of a perioperative ERAS program in patients undergoing esophagectomy for malignant disease . Methods The ERAS program was initiated in 2009 . Patients who underwent esophagectomy and were treated according to the ERAS program were included . Items of ERAS included preoperative nutrition , early extubation , early removal of nasogastric tube , and early mobilization . Primary outcome parameters were hospital stay and the incidence of postoperative complications . Outcome parameters in the ERAS cohort were compared to a cohort of patients who underwent surgical resection in the year prior to the implementation of the ERAS protocol . A feasibility analysis was performed among a sample of ERAS patients to determine the number of achieved items per patient . Results Between 2008 and August 2010 , 181 patients in our department underwent esophagectomy .  Of these , 103 patients were included in the ERAS program ( ERAS+ group ) and were compared to 78 patients who had undergone an esophagectomy in 2008 ( ERAS– group ) .  Overall hospital stay was 14 days versus 15 days ( ERAS+ and ERAS– , respectively ; p = 0.013 ) . There were no significant differences in the incidence of postoperative complications in either group . The percentage of achieved items varied between 42 and 93 % per item . Conclusions The implementation of an ERAS program in esophageal surgery was feasible and result ed in a small but significant reduction in overall hospital stay , whereas overall morbidity was not affected BACKGROUND Enhanced Recovery after Surgery ( ERAS ) programs have gained popularity with potential to accelerate recovery and reduce morbidity after colectomy . We were interested in comparing recovery after open right colectomy within an ERAS program compared with laparoscopic right colectomy in a st and ard care perioperative environment . METHODS Between October 2005 and June 2009 , prospect i ve data were collected on consecutive patients undergoing elective open right colectomy within an established ERAS setting ( OpERAS ) . Similarly , between March 2008 and June 2009 , data were collected on consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic right hemicolectomy with conventional care ( LapCon ) . Exclusion criteria for both groups were : ASA > or= 4 , formation of a stoma , and dementia or mental illness rendering the patient unable to comply with instructions . Perioperative variables were collected . The surgical recovery score ( SRS ) was used as a vali date d means to measure convalescence on d 1 , 3 , 7 , 30 , and 60 postoperatively . RESULTS There were 74 patients in the OpERAS and 39 patients in the LapCon groups . At baseline , there were no significant demographic differences except that more patients had malignancy in OpERAS group .  Mean operating time was longer in the LapCon group . Median day stay was 4 ( 3 - 28 ) in OpERAS and 5 ( 2 - 18 ) in LapCon ( P = 0.032 ) . There was no statistical difference in the incidence of complications or the severity of complications . There were no significant differences in SRS after surgery at any time point . CONCLUSION When perioperative care is optimized , recovery after elective open right hemicolectomy is comparable with laparoscopic resection . Studies looking at the combination of laparoscopy and ERAS are warranted BACKGROUND / AIMS Fast track ( IT ) rehabilitation programmes have demonstrated advantages over traditional perioperative care after open colonic surgery ; however . their contribution in recovery after laparoscopic colonic surgery is not clearly defined . This study was conducted to estimate the value of FT rehabilitation programme in laparoscopic colonic resections . METHODOLOGY This is a r and omized prospect i ve controlled clinical trial . Ninety-nine consecutive patients underwent elective laparoscopic colonic resection between February 2008 and March 2009 . Forty-nine patients received FT multimodal rehabilitation programme as FT group and 50 patients underwent traditional perioperative care as non-FT group . Postoperative hospital stay , return of gastrointestinal function , postoperative complications were recorded . RESULTS Postoperative hospital stay was shorter in the FT group , a median duration of 4.0 days versus 5.0 days in the non-FT group ( p<0.01 ) . Gastrointestinal functional recovery occurred 1 day earlier in FT group ( passage of flatus after 2.0 days vs. 3.0 days , p<0.01 ) . There were no significant differences in complications within 30 postoperative days ( 12 % in FT group vs. 20 % in non-FT group , p=0.295 ) . CONCLUSIONS When applied after laparoscopic colonic surgery , FT rehabilitation programme is feasible , safe and may lead to accelerated functional recovery and reductions in postoperative hospital stay BACKGROUND Evidence -based guidelines on optimal perioperative fluid management have not been established , and recent r and omized trials in major abdominal surgery suggest that large amounts of fluid may increase morbidity and hospital stay . However , no information is available on detailed functional outcomes or with fast-track surgery . Therefore , we investigated the effects of two regimens of intraoperative fluids with physiological recovery as the primary outcome measure after fast-track colonic surgery . METHODS In a double-blind study , 32 ASA I-III patients undergoing elective colonic surgery were r and omized to ' restrictive ' ( Group 1 ) or ' liberal ' ( Group 2 ) perioperative fluid administration .  Fluid algorithms were based on fixed rates of crystalloid infusions and a st and ardized volume of colloid .  Pulmonary function ( spirometry ) was the primary outcome measure , with secondary outcomes of exercise capacity ( submaximal exercise test ) , orthostatic tolerance , cardiovascular hormonal responses , postoperative ileus ( transit of radio-opaque markers ) , postoperative nocturnal hypoxaemia , and overall recovery within a well-defined multimodal , fast-track recovery programme . Hospital stay and complications were also noted . RESULTS ' Restrictive ' ( median 1640 ml , range 935 - 2250 ml ) compared with ' liberal ' fluid administration ( median 5050 ml , range 3563 - 8050 ml ) led to significant improvement in pulmonary function and postoperative hypoxaemia . In contrast , we found significantly reduced concentrations of cardiovascularly active hormones ( renin , aldosterone , and angiotensin II ) in Group 2 . The number of patients with complications was not significantly different between the groups [ 1 ( ' liberal ' group ) [ corrected ] vs 6 ( ' restrictive ' group ) [ corrected ] patients , P = 0.08 ] . CONCLUSIONS A ' restrictive ' [ corrected ] fluid regimen led to a transient improvement in pulmonary function and postoperative hypoxaemia but no other differences in all-over physiological recovery compared with a ' liberal ' [ corrected ] fluid regimen after fast-track colonic surgery . Since morbidity tended to be increased with the ' restrictive ' fluid regimen , future studies should focus on the effect of individualized ' goal -directed ' fluid administration strategies rather than fixed fluid amounts on postoperative outcome Background Enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) programs can accelerate recovery and shorten the hospital stay after colorectal resections . The RAPID ( remove , ambulate , postoperative analgesia , introduce diet ) protocol is a simplified ERAS program that consists of a simplified , user-friendly single-page pro forma schedule . This study aim ed to evaluate the impact of the RAPID protocol on patients undergoing both laparoscopic and open colorectal resections in two specialized colorectal units . Methods A prospect i ve , two-center study assessed 117 age-matched patients undergoing open or laparoscopic colorectal resection to compare the postoperative course for patients using the RAPID protocol with those treated in a traditional manner . Results Of the 117 patients studied , 70 underwent laparoscopic resection ( 55 with the RAPID protocol ) and 47 underwent open resection ( 25 with the RAPID protocol  ) . Patients undergoing laparoscopic resections with the RAPID protocol had a significantly shorter hospital stay ( p = 0.01 ) and tolerance of a full diet ( p = 0.002 ) . Similarly , patients undergoing open resections with the RAPID protocol also have a significantly shorter hospital stay ( p = 0.04 ) . Conclusion The RAPID protocol is a user-friendly , easy , and effective tool that facilitates earlier tolerance of diet and discharge from the hospital for patients undergoing laparoscopic or open colorectal resections Purpose The aim of this multi-institutional study was to prospect ively evaluate the safety and efficacy of an enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) protocol for colonic surgery . Methods The subjects of this study were 320 patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists ( ASA ) grade I or II physical status . Patients underwent elective open or laparoscopic colonic resection or high anterior resection between April 2011 and January 2014 at one of six institutions . Three hospitals implemented an ERAS protocol ( n = 159 ) , and three administered conventional care ( n = 161 ) . The primary outcome measure was the surgical complication rate . Results Most operations , irrespective of group , were performed laparoscopically . The incidence of a surgical complication was 17.0 % in the ERAS group vs. 16.1 % in the conventional group ( P = 0.842 ) , in which several non-surgical complications also arose . Oral food intake was implemented earlier for the ERAS group vs. the conventional group , after a median ( range ) of 1 ( 1–31 ) vs. 3 ( 1–9 ) days for the ERAS vs. conventional care groups , respectively ( P < 0.001 ) . The median length of postoperative hospital stay was reduced by 5.5 days for the ERAS group , being 8.5 ( 5–41 ) vs. 14 ( 7–56 ) days for the ERAS vs. conventional care groups , respectively ( P < 0.001 ) . Conclusion This multi-institutional controlled study clearly demonstrated that an ERAS protocol was efficient , without increasing the complication risk Introduction It is generally believed that resumption of feeding after colorectal resection is indicated only after recovery of bowel function . This study was design ed to verify safety , feasibility , and tolerance of early oral postoperative feeding ( EOF ) outside an enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) program . Material s and methods One hundred patient c and i date s to elective colorectal resection were prospect ively enrolled in an EOF program . Feeding was started on postoperative day ( POD ) 1 with oral nutritional supplement ( ONS ) . On POD 2 , patients had normal food plus ONS to reach 1,000–1,200 kcal/day with progressive increase until 1,800–2,000 kcal/day . Results were compared with historical controls ( n = 100 ) in whom oral feeding was allowed only after full bowel function recovery . The ERAS program was not applied in both groups . Results The EOF group had a better recovery of short half-life protein synthesis compared with the control group ( P < 0.001 ) . Stool canalization occurred after a median of 3 days ( range , 1–6 days ) in the EOF group versus 5 days ( range , 2–8 days ) in the control group ( P = 0.001 ) . The feeding protocol was completed in 89 patients within POD 5 . Tolerance to resumption of feeding was similar in the two groups . The overall rate of postoperative complication was 22 % in the EOF group vs. 27 % in the control group ( P = 0.51 ) . The median length of hospitalization was 9 days ( range , 6–25 days ) in the EOF group vs. 12 days ( range , 6–31 days ) in controls ( P = 0.01 ) . Conclusions EOF after colorectal operations is feasible and safe outside an ERAS program Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of anesthetic methods on markers of anti-tumor immunity and intestinal functions in fast-track surgery in colon cancer ( CC ) patients during the perioperative period . Patients and methods A total of 53 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists ( ASA ) I-II status r and omly received general anesthesia ( G group , n = 27 ) or general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia ( E group , n = 26 ) for surgical tumor resection . The recovery times of intestinal function were evaluated in both groups postoperatively . The frequencies of different subsets of CD4 + T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells and C-reactive protein ( CRP ) were measured by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay , respectively , before anesthesia ( t0 ) , 1 h after the beginning of surgery ( t1 ) , 1 h after the end of surgery ( t2 ) , and on day 2 ( t3 ) and day 5 ( t4 ) post-surgery . Results There was no significant difference in demographic characteristics between the two groups , but the E group of patients received significantly lower amounts of morphine and sevoflurane . In comparison with those in the G group , significantly greater numbers of lymphocytes and elevated frequencies of Th1 cells were detected at t3 and t4 post-surgery in the E group ( p < 0.01 ) . Significantly lower percentages of Th2 cells and regulatory T cells were detected in the E group at t2–4 post-surgery . Whereas the levels of plasma CRP increased post-surgery in both groups , the levels of CRP were significantly lower in the E group than those in the G group at t3–4 post-surgery ( p < 0.05 ) . The times to the first flatus and to tolerate a full diet were significantly shorter in the E group than those in the G group ( p < 0.01 ) . Conclusion General anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia plays an important role in fast-track surgery , mitigating the surgical stress-related impairment of anti-tumor immune responses and hastening the recovery of intestinal function . This combination might also help to improve long-term outcomes for CC patients Objective Enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) integrates evidence -based interventions to reduce surgical stress and accelerate rehabilitation . Our study was to compare the short-term quality of life ( QOL ) in patients undergoing open colonic surgery using ERAS program or conventional management .  Methods A prospect i ve study of 57 patients using ERAS program and 60 patients using conventional management was conducted . The clinical characteristics of all patients were recorded . QOL was evaluated longitudinally using the question naires ( EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29 ) pre- and postoperatively . Generalized estimating equation was used to do the analysis in order to determine the effective impact of correlative factors on the postoperative QOL , including age , sex , BMI , ASA grade , tumor location , tumor size , pTNM stage , recovery program and length of time after surgery . Results The morbidity in ERAS and control group was 17.5 versus 26.7 % ( p = 0.235 ) . The patients in ERAS group had much faster rehabilitation and less hospital stay . In the primary statistical analysis , the scores of global QOL ( on POD3 , POD6 , POD10 , POD14 , POD21 ) , physical functioning ( on POD3 , POD6 , POD10 , POD14 , POD21 ) , role functioning ( on POD6 , POD10 , POD14 , POD21 ) , emotional functioning ( on POD3 , POD6 , POD10 , POD14 , POD21 ) , cognitive functioning ( on POD3 , POD6 ) and social functioning ( on POD3 , POD6 , POD10 , POD14 , POD21 , POD28 ) were higher in ERAS group than in control group , which suggested that the patients in ERAS group had a better life status . However , the scores of pain ( on POD10 , POD14 , POD21 ) , appetite loss ( on POD3 , POD6 ) , constipation ( on POD3 , POD6 , POD10 ) , diarrhea ( on POD3 , POD10 ) , financial difficulties ( on POD10 , POD14 , POD21 ) , perspective of future health ( on POD6 , POD10 , POD14 ) , gastrointestinal tract problems ( on POD3 , POD6 , POD10 ) and defecation problems ( on POD6 , POD10 , POD14 ) were lower in ERAS group than in control group , which revealed that the patients in ERAS group suffered less symptoms . In the further generalized estimating equation analysis , the result showed that recovery program and length of time after surgery had independently positive impact on the patient ’s postoperative QOL . ConclusionS hort-term QOL in patients undergoing colonic cancer using ERAS program was better than that using conventional management Background Fast-track surgery is a new , promising comprehensive program for surgical patients and is beneficial to recovery . Prospect i ve r and omized , controlled clinical trials involving fast-track surgery for gastric cancer are lacking . Patient and methods Ninety-two patients with gastric cancer were r and omly divided into a fast-track surgery group ( n = 45 ) and conventional surgery group ( n = 47 ) . We compared outcomes ( duration of postoperative stay in hospital , fever , and flatus , complications , and medical costs ) ; postoperative serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α , interleukin-6 , and C-reactive protein ; and resting energy expenditure between two groups . Results Compared with the conventional surgery group , the fast-track surgery group had no more complications ( P > 0.05 ) with a significantly shorter duration of fever , flatus , and hospital stay , and less medical costs as well as a higher quality of life score on hospital discharge ( all P < 0.05 ) . With a significantly lower resting energy expenditure ( days 1 and 3 ) postoperatively ( P < 0.05 ) , the fast-track surgery group showed a lower serum level of tumor necrosis factor-α ( days 1 and 3 ) , interleukin-6 ( days 1 and 3 ) , and C-reactive protein ( days 1 , 3 , and 7 ) than the conventional surgery group ( all P < 0.05 ) . Conclusions Fast-track surgery can lessen postoperative stress reactions and accelerate rehabilitation for patients with gastric cancer PURPOSE : This study was design ed to investigate the clinical outcome and recovery before and immediately after implementation of the enhanced recovery after surgery enhanced recovery after surgery protocol in colonic and rectal resection . METHODS : One hundred and sixty-eight consecutive patients in a single center underwent colorectal surgery before ( traditional , n = 69 ) and immediately after implementing enhanced recovery after surgery ( n = 99 ) . Rectal surgery was performed in 77 patients . Postoperative food and fluid intake , mobilization , physiologic function , and clinical outcome were measured prospect ively . RESULTS : Resumption of oral diet was achieved on postoperative day postoperative day 1 in the enhanced recovery after surgery group . In the enhanced recovery after surgery group , mobilization more than 6 hours daily was achieved on postoperative day 2 to 3 and passage of stool occurred on postoperative day 2 vs. postoperative day 5 in the traditional group ( P < 0.0001 ) . Muscle strength and lung function were less reduced in the enhanced recovery after surgery group ( P < 0.05 ) . Median hospital stay was reduced by 2 days ( P < 0.01 ) . Readmission rates increased ( 4 percent vs. 15 percent , P < 0.01 ) but total hospital stay was still lower in the enhanced recovery after surgery group ( P < 0.01 ) . After colonic resection , postoperative complications decreased in enhanced recovery after surgery ( 37 percent vs. 18 percent , P < 0.05 ) , whereas no change was found after rectal resection . CONCLUSION : Immediately after implementing enhanced recovery after surgery , recovery was improved and length of hospital stay was reduced . Notably , postoperative morbidity decreased only in patients undergoing colonic resection Background : Effective postoperative analgesia is essential for early rehabilitation after surgery . Continuous wound infiltration ( CWI ) of local anesthetics has been proposed as an alternative to epidural analgesia ( EA ) during colorectal surgery . This prospect i ve , double-blind trial compared CWI and EA in patients undergoing elective open colorectal surgery . Methods : Fifty consecutive patients were r and omized to receive EA or CWI for 48 h. In both groups , patients were managed according to Enhanced Recovery After Surgery recommendations . The primary outcome was the dynamic pain score measured during mobilization 24 h after surgery ( H24 ) using a 100-mm verbal numerical scale . Secondary outcomes were time to functional recovery , analgesic technique-related side effects , and length of hospital stay . Results : Median postoperative dynamic pain score was lower in the EA than in the CWI group ( 10 [ interquartile range : 1.6–20 ] vs. 37 [ interquartile range : 30–49 ] , P < 0.001 ) and remained lower until hospital discharge . The median times to return of gut function and tolerance of a normal , complete diet were shorter in the EA than in the CWI group ( P < 0.01 each ) . Sleep quality was also better in the EA group , but there was no difference in urinary retention rate ( P = 0.57 ) . The median length of stay was lower in the EA than in the CWI group ( 4 [ interquartile range : 3.4–5.3 ] days vs. 5.5 [ interquartile range : 4.5–7 ] days ; P = 0.006 ) . Conclusion : Within an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program , EA provided quicker functional recovery than CWI and reduced length of hospital stay after open colorectal surgery OBJECTIVE Fast track recovery protocol s on younger , low risk patients result in shorter hospital stays and decreased costs . However , data is lacking on the impact of these protocol s on high risk patients based on an objective scoring system . METHODS In this study , a high risk cohort of patients ( EuroSCORE > or=6 , n=158 ) was compared with a low risk cohort of patients ( EuroSCORE < 6 , n=1004 ) to define the safety and efficacy of fast track recovery among high risk patients . A st and ard perioperative data is collected prospect ively for every patient . RESULTS Time to extubation was longer in the high risk group ( 299+/-253 vs. 232+/-256min ; P=0.003 ) , but intensive care unit ( ICU ) stay ( 25.6+/-28.7 vs. 21.5+/-9.4h ; P = ns ) , and postoperative length of stay ( 5.8+/-2.4 vs. 5.6+/-2.7 days ; P = ns ) was similar when compared with the low risk group . Of the high risk patients 81 % were extubated within 6h , 87 % were discharged from the intensive care unit within 24h , and 67 % were discharged from the hospital within 5 days . Multiple regression analysis showed that any red blood cell transfusion ( P=0.02 ) , and cross clamp time > 60min ( P=0.03 ) were the predictors of delayed extubation ( > or=6h ) in the high risk group . The predictors of extended ICU stay were any red blood cell transfusion ( P=0.0001 ) , and peripheral vascular disease ( P=0.05 ) . Any red blood cell transfusion was the only predictor for mortality ( P=0.02 ) and readmission to the hospital within the first 30 days ( P=0.02 ) in this cohort of patients . CONCLUSIONS This study confirms the safety and efficacy of fast track recovery protocol among high risk patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery . All patients are basically suitable for fast track recovery and the preoperative risk factors are poor predictors of prolonged ventilation , increased ICU and hospital stay . Red blood cell transfusion is associated with delayed extubation and discharge from the ICU , and increased mortality and hospital readmission rate IMPORTANCE Enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) colorectal programs have shown to be successful at reducing length of stay in many international and academic centers ; however , their efficacy in a community hospital setting remains unclear . OBJECTIVE To determine if favorable results could be reproduced in a community hospital setting using our ERAS program , which was developed using core ERAS guidelines with the goal of accelerated recovery while also addressing other important outcomes affecting patient experience and safety . DESIGN , SETTING , AND PARTICIPANTS Prospect i ve study of ERAS program , a multidisciplinary effort involving anesthesia , preadmission staff , nursing , and surgery staff at a community hospital . The program was initiated in 2010 and was in full practice by 2011 . We assessed practice patterns and patient outcomes for all elective colon and rectal resection cases performed in 2009 ( prior to ERAS implementation ) , 2011 , and 2012 . MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Laparoscopic approach , narcotic use , length of stay , 30-day readmission , ileus ( defined as reinsertion of nasogastric tube ) , and intra-abdominal infection and association between colorectal cancer ( CRC ) diagnosis and these outcomes . RESULTS From 2009 to 2012 , the use of laparoscopy increased from 57.4 % to 88.8 % ( P < .001 ) . Length of stay decreased significantly ( 6.7 days vs 3.7 days , P < .001 ) , without an increase in 30-day readmission rate ( 17.6 % vs 12.5 % , P = .49 ) . Use of patient-controlled narcotic analgesia and duration of use decreased ( 63.2 % of patients vs 15 % , P < .001 ; 67.8 hours vs 47.1 hours , P = .02 ) . Ileus rate decreased from 13.2 % to 2.5 % ( P = .02 ) . Intra-abdominal infection decreased from 7.4 % to 2.5 % ( P = .24 ) . When comparing laparoscopic cases alone , similar results were observed . Following regression analysis , there were no statistically significant differences between CRC diagnosis and LOS , 30-day readmission rates , ileus , and intra-abdominal infection ( all P 's > .05 ) . Length of stay reductions result ed in an estimated cost savings of $ 3202 per patient ( 2011 ) and $ 4803 per patient ( 2012 ) . CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Implementation of this patient care-directed enhanced recovery program is feasible in a community hospital setting , and it is associated with decreased LOS without increased readmission or morbidity , as well as significant decreases in narcotic use and cost . Improved outcomes are independent of the laparoscopic approach and CRC diagnosis Background Few data are available on TAP block in laparoscopic colorectal surgery and ERAS program . The aim of this prospect i ve study was to evaluate local wound infiltration plus TAP block compared to local wound infiltration in the management of postoperative pain , nausea and vomiting , ileus and use of opioids in the context of laparoscopic colorectal surgery and ERAS program . Methods From March 2014 to March 2015 , 48 patients were treated by laparoscopic resection and ERAS program for colorectal cancer and diverticular disease at the Division of General and Hepatobiliary Surgery , University of Verona Hospital Trust . Among these , 24 patients received local wound infiltration plus TAP block ( TAP block group ) and 24 patients received local wound infiltration ( control group ) . Results No differences were observed in baseline patient characteristics , clinical variables and surgical procedures between the two groups . Local wound infiltration plus TAP block allowed to achieve pain control despite a reduced use of opioid analgesics ( P = 0.009 ) . The adoption of TAP block result ed beneficial on the prevention of postoperative nausea ( P = 0.002 ) and improvement of essential outcomes of ERAS program as recovery of bowel function ( P = 0.005 ) , urinary catheter removal ( P = 0.003 ) and capability to tolerate oral diet ( P = 0.027 ) . Conclusions TAP block plus local wound infiltration in the setting of laparoscopic colorectal surgery and ERAS program guarantees a reduced use of opioid analgesics and good pain control allowing the improvement of essential items of enhanced recovery pathways Background The enhanced recovery program ( ERP ) aims to reduce the metabolic response to surgery , hastening recovery and shortening hospital stay . Concerns exist regarding morbidity and hospital stay in elderly patients . The present study aim ed to compare the outcomes and compliance of elderly patients managed by an ERP protocol with a younger group . Methods A review was performed of a prospect i ve data base of patients undergoing colorectal resection managed under the ERP protocol between 2005 and 2010 . Patients were grouped into < 80 years and ≥80 years , and perioperative data were collated . The postoperative outcomes were compared with the goals set out by the ERP protocol . Results A total of 688 patients were included , 558 were < 80 years ( median : 66 years ; range : 17–79 years ) and 130 were ≥80 years ( median : 83 years ; range : 80–95 years ) . Some 96 % of operations were planned laparoscopically . Median total length of hospital stay was 6 days ( range : 1–108 days ) for the < 80 year group and 8 days ( range : 1–167 days ; P 0.363 ) for the elderly group , with a 30 day readmission rate of 8.6 % for the population and no significant differences between groups . The 30 day mortality was 5 % , with a significant difference between the two groups ( P < 0.0001 ) . Differences in protocol adherence were identified in the discontinuation of intravenous fluids , catheter removal , and early mobilization . Conclusions An enhanced recovery program is feasible for colorectal surgery patients ≥80 years of age , with similar compliance as the younger group to some aspects of the protocol and an acceptable readmission rate . Attention to improving compliance in the postoperative phase is necessary , particularly in such high-risk patients , as such improvement may reduce the morbidity and mortality Background Major colorectal surgery usually requires a hospital stay of more than 12 days . Inadequate pain management , intestinal dysfunction and immobilisation are the main factors associated with delay in recovery . The present work assesses the short and medium term results achieved by an enhanced recovery program based on previously published protocol s. Methods This prospect i ve study , performed at 12 Spanish hospitals in 2008 and 2009 , involved 300 patients . All patients underwent elective colorectal resection for cancer following an enhanced recovery program .  The main elements of this program were : preoperative advice , no colon preparation , provision of carbohydrate-rich drinks one day prior and on the morning of surgery , goal directed fluid administration , body temperature control during surgery , avoiding drainages and nasogastric tubes , early mobilisation , and the taking of oral fluids in the early postoperative period . Perioperative morbidity and mortality data were collected and the length of hospital stay and protocol compliance recorded . Results The median age of the patients was 68 years . Fifty-two % of the patients were women . The distribution of patients by ASA class was : I 10 % , II 50 % and III 40 % . Sixty-four % of interventions were laparoscopic ; 15 % required conversion to laparotomy . The majority of patients underwent sigmoidectomy or right hemicolectomy .  The overall compliance to protocol was approximately 65 % , but varied widely in its different components . The median length of postoperative hospital stay was 6 days . Some 3 % of patients were readmitted to hospital after discharge ; some 7 % required repeat surgery during their initial hospitalisation or after readmission . The most common complications were surgical ( 24 % ) , followed by septic ( 11 % ) or other medical complications ( 10 % ) . Three patients ( 1 % ) died during follow-up . Some 31 % of patients suffered symptoms that delayed their discharge , the most common being vomiting or nausea ( 12 % ) , dyspnoea ( 7 % ) and fever ( 5 % ) . Conclusion The following of this enhanced recovery program posed no risk to patients in terms of morbidity , mortality and shortened the length of their hospital stay . Overall compliance to protocol was 65 % . The following of this program was of benefit to patients and reduces costs by shortening the length of hospital stay . The implantation of such programmes is therefore highly recommended BACKGROUND & AIMS This study review ed the case mix , clinical management , and clinical outcomes of patients undergoing colorectal resection in five European centres performing different forms of conventional or ' fast-track ' perioperative care . METHODS The perioperative care programme and surgical practice in each centre was defined . Patient data were collected by case-note review on an internet-based audit system . Case mix was determined using ASA classification and the P-POSSUM scoring system . RESULTS A total of 451 consecutive patients from units practicing either conventional ( Sweden , n=109 ; UK , n=87 ; Netherl and s , n=76 , Norway , n=61 ) or fast-track surgery ( Denmark , n=118 ) , were studied between 1998 and 2001 . Elements of perioperative practice varied widely both between units practicing ' traditional ' care and the reference ' fast-track ' unit ( Denmark ) . Based on the P-POSSUM scores , the case mix was similar between centres . There were no differences in morbidity or 30-day mortality between the different centres . The median length of stay was 2 days in Denmark and 7 - 9 days in the other centres ( P<0.05 ) . The readmission rate was 22 % in Denmark and 2 - 16 % in the other centres ( P<0.05 ) . CONCLUSION Compared with traditional care , fast-track perioperative care results in a reduced length of hospital stay but may be associated with a higher readmission rate . Morbidity and mortality appears to be similar with either approach . Prospect i ve evaluation of the potential benefits of the fast-track approach in different European centres is merited OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of the fast track programs ( FT ) on the postoperative recovery of patients with rectum carcinoma after rectal cancer resection . METHODS Eighty-three patients , undergone elective rectal carcinoma resection in our hospital , were r and omly divided into two groups . FT group ( 44 cases ) received the perioperative FT programs care , including bowel preparation reduction , preoperative normal intake , early removal of the nasogastric tube and bladder catheter , early postoperative feeding , early mobilization , and no routine drainage . Control group ( 39 cases ) received the conventional program care . The postoperative hospital stay , surgical complications and readmission rate within 30 days postoperatively were compared between the two groups . RESULTS The data of two groups such as gender , surgical procedures , complications , TNM stage of tumor , age , operation time and intra-operative blood loss were similar . The mean postoperative hospital stay in FT group was significantly shorter than that in control group [ ( 4.7+/-2.6 ) d vs ( 8.9+/-2.8 ) d ] ( P<0.001 ) . The surgical complications within 30 days postoperatively in FT group were significantly less than those in control group ( P<0.05 ) . The difference of readmission rate was not significant between the two groups ( P=0.326 ) . CONCLUSION The colorectal surgical fast track programs applied to the perioperative period care of rectal carcinoma resection can decrease the hospital stay and surgical complications with no obvious change in readmission rate , so the postoperative recovery of patients with rectal carcinoma resection can be improved INTRODUCTION Modern procedures in peri-operative care arising from evidence -based medicine improve postoperative results . Their acceptance is however not a common clinical practice at most surgical centers . AIM The aim of our study was to design a protocol and introduce it into the praxis . The subject of announcement is tolerance of protocol in our conditions . PATIENTS AND METHOD Prospect i ve r and omized study included patients who were operated on ( open bowel resection ) at Department of Surgery in period 4/2005 - 12/2007 . They were r and omized in fast track group ( n=53 ) and non-fast track group ( n=52 ) .  Protocol with accelerated recovery was used in the fast track group ( FTG ) and we used traditional approach in the not-fast track ( non-FTG ) . Results were statistically evaluated , 2 patients ( FTG ) were excluded from analysis for protocol failure ( protocol was non kept by anesthesiologist in 1 patient and by the nurse in the second patient ) . Protocol and informed consent form was approved by the Hospital Ethics Committee . RESULTS Both groups did not differ in age , diagnosis and length of surgery . Analgesia was controlled significantly better in FTG ; similarly oral intake tolerance was higher in this group ( day of surgery -- mean value 634 ml versus 304 ml ) . Restoration of bowel functions was also faster in interventional group ( mean time 2.1 versus 3.9 days ) . Frequency of postoperative complications was lower and hospital stay was shorter ( median 7.0 versus 9.0 days , p < 0.001 ) . CONCLUSION Design ed fast track protocol of postoperative recovery could be introduced in clinical praxis in terms of study . Patients ' tolerance was very good . Application of accelerated recovery procedures is possible in our conditions but it means primarily to overcome worse tolerance of attending personnel Objective : To examine the impact of alvimopan on outcomes and costs in a rigorous enhanced recovery colorectal surgery protocol . Background : Postoperative ileus remains a major source of morbidity and costs in colorectal surgery . Alvimopan has been shown to reduce incidence of postoperative ileus in enhanced recovery colorectal surgery ; however , data are equivocal regarding its benefit in reducing length of stay and costs . Methods : Patients undergoing major elective enhanced recovery colorectal surgery were identified from a prospect ively-collected data base ( 2010–2013 ) . Multivariable analyses were employed to compare outcomes and hospital costs among patients who had alvimopan versus no alvimopan  by adjusting for demographic , clinical , and treatment characteristics . Results : A total of 660 patients were included ; 197 patients received alvimopan and 463 patients had no alvimopan .  In unadjusted analysis , the alvimopan group had a faster return of bowel function , shorter length of stay , and lower rates of ileus , Foley re-insertion , and urinary tract infection ( all P < 0.01 ) . After adjustment , alvimopan was associated with a faster return of bowel function by 0.6 day ( P = 0.0006 ) , and lower incidence of postoperative ileus ( odds ratio 0.23 , P = 0.0002 ) . With adjustment , alvimopan was associated with a shorter length of stay by 1.6 days ( P = 0.002 ) , and a hospital cost savings of $ 1492 per patient ( P = 0.01 ) . Conclusions : Alvimopan administration as an element of enhanced recovery colorectal surgery is associated with faster return of bowel function , lower incidence of postoperative ileus , shorter hospitalization , and a significant cost savings . These results suggest that alvimopan is cost-effective in the setting of enhanced recovery colorectal surgery protocol s , and should therefore be considered in these programs Background : Inadequate perioperative fluid therapy impairs gastrointestinal function . Studies primarily evaluating the impact of goal -directed fluid therapy on primary postoperative ileus are missing . The objective of this study was to determine whether goal -directed fluid therapy reduces the incidence of primary postoperative ileus after laparoscopic colorectal surgery within an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program . Methods : R and omized patient and assessor-blind controlled trial conducted in adult patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery within an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program . Patients were assigned r and omly to receive intraoperative goal -directed fluid therapy ( goal -directed fluid therapy group ) or fluid therapy based on traditional principles ( control group ) .  Primary postoperative ileus was the primary outcome . Results : One hundred twenty-eight patients were included and analyzed ( goal -directed fluid therapy group : n = 64 ; control group : n = 64 ) . The incidence of primary postoperative ileus was 22 % in the goal -directed fluid therapy and 22 % in the control group ( relative risk , 1 ; 95 % CI , 0.5 to 1.9 ; P = 1.00 ) . Intraoperatively , patients in the goal -directed fluid therapy group received less intravenous fluids ( mainly less crystalloids ) but a greater volume of colloids . The increase of stroke volume and cardiac output was more pronounced and sustained in the goal -directed fluid therapy group . Length of hospital stay , 30-day postoperative morbidity , and mortality were not different . Conclusions : Intraoperative goal -directed fluid therapy compared with fluid therapy based on traditional principles does not reduce primary postoperative ileus in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery in the context of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program . Its previously demonstrated benefits might have been offset by advancements in perioperative care Background Fast-track surgery has been shown to enhance postoperative recovery in several surgical fields . This study aim ed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of fast-track surgery in laparoscopic distal gastrectomy . Methods The present study was design ed as a single-center , r and omized , unblinded , parallel-group trial . Patients were eligible if they had gastric cancer for which laparoscopic distal gastrectomy was indicated . The fast-track surgery protocol included intensive preoperative education , a short duration of fasting , a preoperative carbohydrate load , early postoperative ambulation , early feeding , and sufficient pain control using local anesthetics perfused via a local anesthesia pump device , with limited use of opioids . The primary endpoint was the duration of possible and actual postoperative hospital stay . Results We r and omized 47 patients into a fast-track group ( n = 22 ) and a conventional pathway group ( n = 22 ) , with three patients withdrawn . The possible and actual postoperative hospital stays were shorter in the fast-track group than in the conventional group ( 4.68 ± 0.65 vs. 7.05 ± 0.65 ; P < 0.001 and 5.36 ± 1.46 vs. 7.95 ± 1.98 ; P < 0.001 ) . The time to first flatus and pain intensity were not different between groups ; however , a greater frequency of additional pain control was needed in the conventional group ( 3.64 ± 3.66 vs. 1.64 ± 1.33 ; P = 0.023 ) . The fast-track group was superior to the conventional group in several factors of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Question naire , including : fatigue , appetite loss , financial problems , and anxiety . The complication and readmission rates were similar between groups . Conclusions Fast-track surgery could enhance postoperative recovery , improve immediate postoperative quality of life , and be safely applied in laparoscopic distal gastrectomy Background Colorectal cancer ( CRC ) is the second most prevalent type of cancer in the world . Surgery is the only curative option . However , postoperative complications occur in up to 50 % of patients and are associated with higher morbidity and mortality rates , lower health related quality of life ( HRQoL ) and increased expenditure in health care . The number and severity of complications are closely related to preoperative functional capacity , nutritional state , psychological state , and smoking behavior . Traditional approaches have targeted the postoperative period for rehabilitation and lifestyle changes . However , recent evidence shows that the preoperative period might be the optimal moment for intervention . This study will determine the impact of multimodal prehabilitation on patients ’ functional capacity and postoperative complications . Methods / design This international multicenter , prospect i ve , r and omized controlled trial will include 714 patients undergoing colorectal surgery for cancer . Patients will be allocated to the intervention group , which will receive 4 weeks of prehabilitation ( group 1 , prehab ) , or the control group , which will receive no prehabilitation ( group 2 , no prehab ) . Both groups will receive perioperative care in accordance with the enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) guidelines . The primary outcomes for measurement will be functional capacity ( as assessed using the six-minute walk test ( 6MWT ) ) and postoperative status determined with the Comprehensive Complication Index ( CCI ) . Secondary outcomes will include HRQoL , length of hospital stay ( LOS ) and a cost-effectiveness analysis . Discussion Multimodal prehabilitation is expected to enhance patients ’ functional capacity and to reduce postoperative complications . It may therefore result in increased survival and improved HRQoL. This is the first international multicenter study investigating multimodal prehabilitation for patients undergoing colorectal surgery for cancer . Trial registration Trial Registry : NTR5947 – date of registration : 1 August 2016 BACKGROUND & AIMS A fast-track program is a multimodal approach for patients undergoing colonic surgery that combines stringent regimens of perioperative care ( fluid restriction , optimized analgesia , forced mobilization , and early oral feeding ) to reduce perioperative morbidity , hospital stay , and cost . We investigated the impact of a fast-track protocol on postoperative morbidity in patients after open colonic surgery . METHODS A r and omized trial of patients in 4 teaching hospitals in Switzerl and included 156 patients undergoing elective open colonic surgery who were assigned to either a fast-track program or st and ard care . The primary end point was the 30-day complication rate . Secondary end points were severity of complications , hospital stay , and compliance with the fast-track protocol . RESULTS The fast-track protocol significantly decreased the number of complications ( 16 of 76 in the fast-track group vs 37 of 75 in the st and ard care group ; P = .0014 ) , result ing in shorter hospital stays ( median , 5 days ; range , 2 - 30 vs 9 days , respectively ; range , 6 - 30 ; P < .0001 ) . There was a trend toward less severe complications in the fast-track group . A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed fluid administration greater than the restriction limits ( odds ratio , 4.198 ; 95 % confidence interval , 1.7 - 10.366 ; P = .002 ) and a nonfunctioning epidural analgesia ( odds ratio , 3.365 ; 95 % confidence interval , 1.367 - 8.283 ; P = .008 ) as independent predictors of postoperative complications . CONCLUSIONS The fast-track program reduces the rate of postoperative complications and length of hospital stay and should be considered as st and ard care . Fluid restriction and an effective epidural analgesia are the key factors that determine outcome of the fast-track program Background : Two wounds are created after abdominal surgery . The surgical insult to the peritoneal cavity and viscera has not been emphasized as a target for interventions . In animal models vagotomy blunts the intraperitoneal response to induced inflammation . This is not feasible in humans . However a transient chemical afferentectomy after colectomy by using neuraxial blockade ( epidural ) and intraperitoneal blockade may be possible . We investigated the effects of intraoperative instillation and postoperative infusion of intraperitoneal local anesthetic ( IPLA ) on recovery parameters after colectomy , in the setting of an established enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) program . Methods : Double blinded , r and omized , placebo controlled design . The study group ( IPLA ) received instillation of intraperitoneal ropivacaine ( 75 mg ) before dissection and postoperative infusion of 0.2 % solution at 4 mL/hour for 3 days continuously . The placebo group ( NS ) was treated as above with 0.9 % saline solution . All patients were cared for under ERAS st and ardized perioperative care . Epidural infusion was stopped on day 2 . Patients were discharged from day 3 onwards once criteria met . Perioperative data , surgical recovery score ( SRS ) , complications , and length of stay were recorded . Systemic cytokines response , neuroendocrine parameters , pain measures and opioid use data were collected . Patients were followed up for 60 days . Results : Sixty patients were recruited . Patients were equivalently matched at baseline . There were no local anesthetic related adverse events . The complication rate , including anastomotic leak rate , was equivalent between groups . IPLA group had better SRS scores for the duration of intraperitoneal infusion . Pain and opioid use was reduced in the IPLA group . Systemic cytokine and cortisol response was diminished in the IPLA group . IPLA group had consistently higher systemic ropivacaine levels than placebo group . Conclusion : Instillation and infusion of intraperitoneal ropivacaine after colectomy improves early surgical recovery . This was associated with a blunting of postsurgical systemic cytokines and cortisol . Patients also had significantly reduced pain and opioid use over and above the effect of an epidural infusion . Therefore a transient chemical afferentectomy with clinical benefit is possible with this method . A longer IPLA infusion duration needs to be studied . This study is registered at clinical trials.gov and carries the ID number NCT00722709 Background The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of preoperative nutritional status on the short-term outcomes of an enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) programme for colorectal cancer surgery . Methods This prospect i ve observational study included 149 patients who underwent elective resection of colorectal cancer with ERAS from January 2011 to January 2014 in a university hospital .  Subjective global assessment ( SGA ) was used to determine preoperative nutritional status . Primary outcomes included the length of postoperative stay , postoperative morbidity , gastrointestinal recovery , and 30-day readmission . Results The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the SGA classification . There were 96 patients ( 64.4 % ) in SGA-A ( well-nourished ) , 48 ( 32.2 % ) in SGA-B ( mild to moderately malnourished ) , and 5 ( 3.4 % ) in SGA-C ( severely malnourished ) . Patients in SGA-A had the median length of postoperative stay of 4 days ( range 2–23 ) , which was significantly shorter compared to SGA-B ( 5 days ; range 2–16 ; p < 0.01 ) and SGA-C ( 7 days ; range 4–17 ; p < 0.01 ) . The overall complication rates of SGA-A , SGA-B , and SGA-C patients were 11 , 31 % ( adjusted OR 3.76 ; 95 % CI 1.36–10.36 ; p < 0.01 ) and 40 % ( adjusted OR 2.15 ; 95 % CI 0.07–63.64 ; p = 0.66 ) . Mean time to resumption of normal diet and time to first defecation were 1.6 ± 1.3 and 2.2 ± 0.9 days in SGA-A , 2.6 ± 1.7 and 3.1 ± 1.6 days in SGA-B ( p < 0.01 compared to SGA-A ) and 3.2 ± 2.4 days and 2.6 ± 1.5 days in SGA-C ( p = 0.07 and p = 0.1 compared to SGA-A , respectively ) . No 30-day mortality occurred in any group . One patient in SGA-A ( 1 % ) , and 3 patients in SGA-B ( 6 % ) had unplanned 30-day re-admission ; p = 0.11 . Conclusions Within an ERAS programme for colorectal cancer surgery , malnourished patients were at risk for increased postoperative morbidity , delayed recovery of gastrointestinal function , and prolonged length of hospital stay Background During the last two decades the use of laparoscopic resection and a multimodal approach known as an enhanced recovery programme , have been major changes in colorectal perioperative care . Clinical outcome improves using laparoscopic surgery to resect colorectal cancer but until recently no multicentre trial evidence had been reported regarding whether the benefits of laparoscopy still exist when open surgery is optimized within an enhanced recovery programme . The EnROL trial ( Enhanced Recovery Open versus Laparoscopic ) examines the hypothesis that laparoscopic surgery within an enhanced recovery programme will provide superior postoperative outcomes when compared to conventional open resection of colorectal cancer within the same programme . Methods / design EnROL is a phase III , multicentre , r and omised trial of laparoscopic versus open resection of colon and rectal cancer with blinding of patients and outcome observers to the treatment allocation for the first 7 days post-operatively , or until discharge if earlier . 202 patients will be recruited at approximately 12 UK hospitals and r and omised using minimization at a central computer system in a 1:1 ratio . Recruiting surgeons will previously have performed > 100 laparoscopic colorectal resections  and > 50  open total mesorectal excisions to minimize conversion . Eligible patients are those suitable for elective resection using either technique . Excluded patients include : those with acute intestinal obstruction and patients in whom conversion from laparoscopic to open procedure is likely . The primary outcome is physical fatigue as measured by the physical fatigue domain of the multidimensional fatigue inventory 20 ( MFI-20 ) with secondary outcomes including postoperative hospital stay ; complications ; reoperation and readmission ; quality of life indicators ; cosmetic assessment s ; st and ardized performance indicators ; health economic analysis ; the other four domains of the MFI-20 . Pathological assessment of surgical quality will also be undertaken and compliance with the enhanced recovery programme will be recorded for all patients . Discussion Should this trial demonstrate that laparoscopic surgery confers a significant clinical and /or health economic benefit this will further support the transition to this type of surgery , with implication s for the training of surgeons and re source allocation . Trial registration IS RCT N48516968 Objective : To investigate which perioperative treatment , ie , laparoscopic or open surgery combined with fast track ( FT ) or st and ard care , is the optimal approach for patients undergoing segmental resection for colon cancer . Summary Background Data : Important developments in elective colorectal surgery are the introduction of laparoscopy and implementation of FT care , both focusing on faster recovery . Methods : In a 9-center trial , patients eligible for segmental colectomy were r and omized to laparoscopic or open colectomy , and to FT or st and ard care  , result ing in 4 treatment groups . Primary outcome was total postoperative hospital stay ( THS ) . Secondary outcomes were postoperative hospital stay ( PHS ) , morbidity , reoperation rate , readmission rate , in-hospital mortality , quality of life at 2 and 4 weeks , patient satisfaction and in-hospital costs .  Four hundred patients were required to find a minimum difference of 1 day in hospital stay . Results : Median THS in the laparoscopic/FT group was 5 ( interquar-tile range : 4–8 ) days ; open/FT 7 ( 5–11 ) days ; laparoscopic/st and ard 6 ( 4.5–9.5 ) days , and open/st and ard 7 ( 6–13 ) days ( P < 0.001 ) . Median PHS in the laparoscopic/FT group was 5 ( 4–7 ) days ; open/FT 6 ( 4.5–10 ) days ; laparoscopic/st and ard 6 ( 4–8.5 ) days and open/st and ard 7 ( 6–10.5 ) days ( P < 0.001 ) . Secondary outcomes did not differ significantly among the groups . Regression analysis showed that laparoscopy was the only independent predictive factor to reduce hospital stay and morbidity . Conclusions : Optimal perioperative treatment for patients requiring segmental colectomy for colon cancer is laparoscopic resection embedded in a FT program . If open surgery is applied , it is preferentially done in FT care . This study was registered under NTR222 ( www.trialregister.nl ) Objective : To determine the cost-effectiveness of enhanced recovery pathways ( ERPs ) versus conventional care for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery . Background : ERPs for colorectal surgery are clinical ly effective , but their cost-effectiveness is unknown . Methods : A multi-institutional prospect i ve cohort cost-effectiveness analysis was performed . Adult patients undergoing elective colorectal resection at 2 university-affiliated institutions from October 2012 to October 2013 were enrolled . One center used an ERP , whereas the other did not . Postoperative outcomes were recorded up to 60 days . Total costs were reported in 2013 Canadian dollars . Effectiveness was measured using the SF-6D , a health utility measure vali date d for postoperative recovery . Uncertainty was expressed using bootstrapped estimates ( 10,000 repetitions ) . Results : A total of 180 patients were included  ( conventional care : n = 95 ; ERP : n = 95 ) . There were no differences in patient characteristics except for a higher proportion of laparoscopy in the ERP group . Mean length of stay was shorter in the ERP group ( 6.5 vs 9.8 days ; P = 0.017 ) , but there were no differences in complications or readmissions . Patients in the ERP group returned to work quicker and had less caregiver burden . There was no difference in quality of life between the 2 groups . The cost of the ERP program was $ 153 per patient . Overall societal costs were lower in the ERP group ( mean difference = −2985 ; 95 % confidence interval , −5753 to −373 ) . The ERP had a greater than 99 % probability of cost-effectiveness . The results were insensitive to a range of assumptions and subgroups . Conclusions : Enhanced recovery is cost-effective compared with conventional perioperative management for elective colorectal resection PURPOSE Laparoscopic resection and a multimodal approach known as an enhanced recovery program ( ERP ) have been major changes in colorectal perioperative care that have improved clinical outcomes for colorectal cancer resection . EnROL ( Enhanced Recovery Open Versus Laparoscopic ) is a multicenter r and omized controlled trial examining whether the benefits of laparoscopy still exist when open surgery is optimized within an ERP . PATIENTS AND METHODS Adults with colorectal cancer suitable for elective resection were r and omly assigned at a ratio of 1:1 to  laparoscopic or open surgery within an ERP , stratified by center , cancer site ( colon v rectum ) , and age group ( < 66 v 66 - 75 v > 75 years ) using minimization . The primary outcome was physical fatigue at 1 month postsurgery . Secondary outcomes included hospital stay , complications , other patient-reported outcomes ( PROs ) , and physical function . Patients and outcome assessors were blinded until 7 days postsurgery or discharge if earlier . Central independent and blinded pathologic assessment of surgical quality was undertaken . RESULTS A total of 204 patients ( laparoscopy , n=103 ; open surgery , n=101 ) were recruited from 12 UK centers from July 2008 to April 2012 .  One-month physical fatigue scores were similar in both groups ( mean : laparoscopy , 12.28 ; 95 % CI , 11.37 to 13.19 v open surgery , 12.05 ; 95 % CI , 11.14 to 12.96 ; adjusted mean difference , -0.23 ; 95 % CI , -1.52 to 1.07 ) . Median total hospital stay was significantly shorter after laparoscopic surgery ( median : laparoscopy , 5 ; interquartile range [ IQR ] , 4 to 9 v open surgery , 7 ; IQR , 5 to 11 days ; P=.033 ) . There were no differences in other secondary outcomes or in specimen quality after central pathologic review . CONCLUSION In patients treated by experienced surgeons within an ERP , physical fatigue and other PROs were similar in both groups , but laparoscopic surgery significantly reduced length of hospital stay Aim Enhanced recovery after surgery ( ERAS ) programmes have been shown to accelerate and enhance functional recovery after colonic surgery . We analysed prospect ively collected data to investigate potentially modifiable factors that may influence the length of stay ( LOS ) in the ERAS setting at a single institution BACKGROUND The impact of bispectral index (BIS)-guided general anesthesia on recovery from general anesthesia has been evaluated in different patient population s. The benefit of using BIS has been inconsistent . We design ed this study to examine the value of BIS-guided anesthesia in a fast-track setting where the goal is rapid recovery . METHODS Forty-four patients undergoing open colon resection were r and omly assigned to receive either BIS-guided ( BIS group , n = 22 ) or clinical ly guided ( st and ard care group , n = 22 ) total IV anesthesia with propofol after placing a thoracic epidural catheter .  Duration of postanesthesia care unit stay , time to tracheal extubation , direct drug cost , the incidence of hemodynamic abnormalities , ability of ambulation on the day of surgery , and patient satisfaction with anesthetic management were assessed . RESULTS In the BIS-guided group , tracheal extubation was achieved significantly earlier ( 7.6 vs. 15.4 min , P < 0.01 ) and the postanesthesia care unit stay was significantly shorter ( 51 vs. 85 min , P < 0.01 ) . Total anesthetic drug cost was reduced by 23 % and the incidence of hypotension requiring treatment was significantly lower in the BIS group . Early ambulation , patient satisfaction , and incidence of adverse events were not significantly different between the groups . CONCLUSIONS BIS-guided IV anesthesia in combination with thoracic epidural analgesia facilitates rapid recovery and reduces the overall cost of care in patients undergoing fast-track colon surgery BACKGROUND / AIMS Fasting period before surgery may change metabolic status of the patient and have influence on perioperative stress response . The aim of the study was to investigate effects of preoperative carbohydrate-rich beverage on stress response after laparoscopic cholecystectomy . METHODOLOGY Patients admitted for laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included into study and they were r and omized into a group that was fed prior to surgery and in a group that was in the regime of nothing by mouth from the evening one day before surgery .  Concentrations of C-reactive protein and cortisol , were measured before and subsequently up to 48 h postoperatively . RESULTS Postoperative serum C-reactive protein increased significantly in both groups , but the increase was more evident in the group with fasting protocol both 24 and 48 hours postoperatively . In fed patients cortisol concentration measured in the afternoon immediately after the operation showed physiological decline . In patients with fasting protocol postoperative cortisol values rise above the values measured in the morning . CONCLUSIONS Preoperative feeding has advantage over overnight fasting by reducing preoperative discomfort in patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy . In fed patients , smaller increase in C-reactive protein and better regulation of cortisol levels are an indicator of decreased perioperative stress response Introduction Fast-track protocol s , introduced in the late 1990s , have been applied in several surgical fields , particularly for colorectal surgery . However , currently many surgical patients are elderly , and discussion about the application of such programs for elderly patients is lacking . The present study was design ed to assess the safety of application of a fast-track program after laparoscopic colorectal surgery in elderly patients . Methods From August 2009 to January 2011 , we prospect ively collected data from patients who underwent laparoscopic colorectal surgery with a perioperative fast-track program .  The data of patients older and younger than 70 years were compared . Results Of a total of 337 patients , the group of patients older than 70 years ( OG ) totaled 87 ( 25.8 % ) and the younger group ( YG ) totaled 250 ( 74.2 % ) . Ten patients ( 11.5 % ) were excluded in the OG and 24 ( 9.6 % ) in the YG . There were no differences in gender , history of previous surgeries , body mass index , type of operation , operative time , or blood loss between groups . Age ( 74.8 vs. 56.7 years , p < 0.001 ) , presence of comorbidities ( 70.1 vs. 44.7 % , p < 0.001 ) , and ASA score ( I : II : III , 33.8:57.1:9.1 vs. 60.6:33.2:6.2 % , p < 0.001 ) were significantly different between the two groups . Postoperative course did not show differences , including return of flatus , stool passage , advancement of diet , removal of urinary catheter , length of usage of IV antibiotics , complications , and length of postoperative stay . Emergency department visits or readmission within a month after discharge were more frequent in the OG ( 11.7 % ) than the YG ( 4 % ; p = 0.013 ) . Conclusions Fast-track after laparoscopic colorectal surgery can be safely applied in carefully selected elderly patients older than age 70 years . Physicians should keep in mind complications that may present after discharge and should actively educate patients about them BACKGROUND Studies have shown the value of using fast-track postoperative recovery . St and ard procedures ( non-fast-track strategies ) remain in common use for perioperative care . Few prospect i ve reports exist on the outcome of fast-tracking in Central Europe . The aim of our study was to assess the effect and safety of our own fast-track protocol with regard to the postoperative period after open bowel resection . PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred and five patients with ASA score I-II scheduled for open intestinal resection in the period April 2005-December 2007 were r and omly selected for the fast-track group ( FT ) and non-fast-track group ( non-FT ) . A design ed protocol was used in the FT group with the emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach . The control group ( non-FT ) was treated by st and ard established procedures .  Postoperative pain , rehabilitation , gastrointestinal functions , postoperative complications , and post-op length of stay were recorded . RESULTS Of 105 patients , 103 were statistically analyzed . Patients in the FT group ( n=51 ) and non-FT group ( n=52 ) did not differ in age , surgical diagnosis , or procedure . The fast-track procedure led to significantly better control of postoperative pain and faster restoration of GI functions ( bowel movement after 1.3 days vs. 3.1 , p<0.001 ) . Food tolerance was significantly better in the FT group and rehabilitation was also faster . Hospital stay was shorter in the FT group - median seven days ( 95 % CI 7.0 - 7.7 ) versus ten days ( 95 % CI 9.5 - 11.3 ) in non-FT ( p<0.001 ) . Postoperative complications within 30 postoperative days were also significantly lower in the FT group ( 21.6 vs. 48.1 % , p=0.003 ) . There were no deaths and no patients were readmitted within 30 days . CONCLUSIONS Following the FT protocol helped to reduce frequency of postoperative complications and reduced hospital stay . We conclude that the FT strategy is safe and effective in improving postoperative outcomes
The present systematic review shows that , with the exception of laparoscopic surgery , objective evidence of the effect of individual components of ERAS protocol s in reducing the stress response following colorectal surgery is limited
Abstract Enhanced Recovery or Fast Track Recovery after Surgery protocol s ( ERAS ) have significantly changed perioperative care following colorectal surgery and are promoted as reducing the stress response to surgery .