Optimizing Enhanced Recovery Protocols in Elective General Surgery Procedures

Background Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines are an organised, evidence-based practise of perioperative care that focuses on reducing stresses associated with surgery, shortening the time required to recover after surgery, and improving patient outcomes in general. The traditional perioperative practise that was applied in elective general surgery is being questioned by the increasing patient complexity, ageing of the population, and the necessity of enhancing efficiency without sacrificing patient safety. The ERAS pathways have become a holistic approach to these problems as it incorporates multidisciplinary interventions in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods of care. Methods The study is a systematic review of the recent evidence of the use of enhanced recovery protocols in elective general surgery. Peer-reviewed studies (took part in by bothICK) conducted on adult patients who underwent general elective surgery conditions managed by ERAS pathways were examined. Interests of interest were length of stay, postoperative complications, readmission rates, and postoperative recovery-related functional indicators. Results The evidence reviewed has shown that the implementation of ERAS in elective general surgery is always linked with shorter hospital length of stay, better postoperative recovery, and lower complication rates without the growth in readmissions. Perioperative nutritional optimization, multimodal analgesia, early mobilisation, and standardised care pathways, were found to be core elements of these outcomes. Conclusion Best practises encompassed by improved recovery guidelines offer a viable and flexible guideline to the optimization of perioperative care in elective general surgery. Further optimization and standardization of their usage can be used to improve patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency even further.