Enhanced recovery ERAS for elderly: a safe and beneficial pathway in colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway includes recovery goals requiring active participation of the patients; this may be perceived as "aggressive" care in older patients. The aim of the present study was to assess whether ERAS was feasible and beneficial in older patients. METHODS: Since June 2011, all consecutive colorectal patients were included in an ERAS pathway and documented in a dedicated prospective database. This retrospective analysis included 513 patients, 311 younger patients (<70 years) and 202 older patients (≥70 years). Outcomes were adherence to the ERAS pathway, functional recovery, postoperative complications, and hospital stay. RESULTS: Older patients had significantly more diabetes, malignancies, cardiac, and respiratory co-morbidities; both groups underwent similar surgical procedures. Overall adherence to the ERAS pathway was in median 78 % in younger and 74 % in older patients (P = 0.86). In older patients, urinary drains were kept longer (P = 0.001), and oral fluid intake was reduced from day 0 to day 3 (P < 0.001). There were no differences in mobilization and intake of nutritional supplements. Postoperative complications were similar for both comparative groups (51.5 vs. 46.6 %, P = 0.32). Median length of stay was 7 days (IQR 5-13) in older patients vs. 6 days (IQR 4-10) in the younger group (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Adherence to the ERAS pathway was equally high in older patients. Despite more co-morbidities, older patients did not experience more complications. Recovery was similar and hospital stay was only 1 day longer than in younger patients. ERAS pathway is of value for all patients and does not need any adaptation for the elderly.

Closed-wound negative pressure therapy dressing after loop ostomy closure: a retrospective comparative study.

Closed-wound negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) dressings were recently introduced with the purpose to reduce incisional surgical site infections (iSSI) in high-risk wounds. The aim of this study was to compare iSSI rates in patients after ostomy closure with and without additional application of a closed-wound NPWT dressing. Single-center retrospective analysis of consecutive patients undergoing ileo- or colostomy closure over an 8-year period (January 2013-January 2021). Intradermal non-purse string technique with absorbable sutures were used in all patients. Since November 2018, all patients (study group) received a NPWT device for a maximum of 5 days postoperatively (PICO, SMITH AND NEPHEW). Primary outcome was iSSI rate within 30 days of surgery. SSI was defined in accordance with the Center of Disease Control (CDC) classification and included superficial and deep incisional SSI. Data was retrieved from the institutional enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) database, with standardized complication assessment by trained abstractors. In total, 85 patients (25%) in the study group were comparable with 252 (75%) patients in the control group regarding demographics (age, gender, body mass index, ASA score), ostomy type and anastomotic technique (all p > 0.05), but not wound contamination class (class III: 5% vs 0%, p < 0.001). Median time to NPWT removal was 4 (IQR 3-5) days. Incisional SSI were observed in 4 patients (4.7%) in the study group and in 27 patients (10.7%) in the control group (p = 0.097). These preliminary results suggest a potential benefit of systematic application of the NPWT device after loop ostomy closure. A randomized controlled study is needed.

Biological impact of an enhanced recovery after surgery programme in liver surgery.

BACKGROUND: The clinical and economic impacts of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programmes have been demonstrated extensively. Whether ERAS protocols also have a biological effect remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the biological impact of an ERAS programme in patients undergoing liver surgery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing liver surgery (2010-2018) was undertaken. Patients operated before and after ERAS implementation in 2013 were compared. Surrogate markers of surgical stress were monitored: white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, albumin concentration, and haematocrit. Their perioperative fluctuations were defined as Δvalues, calculated on postoperative day (POD) 0 for Δalbumin and Δhaematocrit and POD 2 for ΔWBC and ΔCRP. RESULTS: A total of 541 patients were included, with 223 and 318 patients in non-ERAS and ERAS groups respectively. Groups were comparable, except for higher rates of laparoscopy (24.8 versus 11.2 per cent; P < 0.001) and major resection (47.5 versus 38.1 per cent; P = 0.035) in the ERAS group. Patients in the ERAS group showed attenuated ΔWBC (2.00 versus 2.75 g/l; P = 0.013), ΔCRP (60 versus 101 mg/l; P <0.001) and Δalbumin (12 versus 16 g/l; P < 0.001) compared with those in the no-ERAS group. Subgroup analysis of open resection showed similar results. Multivariable analysis identified ERAS as the only independent factor associated with high ΔWBC (odds ratio (OR) 0.65, 95 per cent c.i. 0.43 to 0.98; P = 0.038), ΔCRP (OR 0.41, 0.23 to 0.73; P = 0.003) and Δalbumin (OR 0.40, 95 per cent c.i. 0.22 to 0.72; P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Compared with conventional management, implementation of ERAS was associated with an attenuated stress response in patients undergoing liver surgery.