AT THE ASCRS ANNUAL MEETING
LOS ANGELES (FRONTLINE MEDICAL NEWS) – Implementation of a perioperative protocol designed to enhance recovery in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic colorectal surgery decreased hospital length of stay, the rate of complications, and overall direct costs, results from a single-center study showed.
“Until recently patients undergoing colorectal surgery were counseled to accept a 20%-25% risk of complications and a 7- to 10-day postoperative stay in the hospital,” lead study author Dr. Daniel S. Lavy said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. “Studies from the 1990s have shown that length of stay rates improved when one single component of care was changed.”
Dr. Lavy of the department of surgery at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, N.J., discussed results from a study of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), which he described as “a multimodal perioperative care pathway designed to achieve early recovery for patients undergoing major surgery. Many of its elements challenge existing surgical doctrine, including optimizing nutrition, standardized nonnarcotic and anesthetic regimens, early mobilization, and early initiation of enteral feeding.” The protocol also includes multimodal analgesia aimed at reducing the use of narcotics by intravenous Toradol (ketorolac), intravenous Tylenol (acetaminophen), and a transverse abdominis plane block; preoperative intravenous Solu-Medrol (methylprednisolone); prevention of fluid overload; preoperative and postoperative Entereg (alvimopan); preoperative enteral feedings and early postoperative diet initiation; and aggressive postoperative rehabilitation.
In an effort to evaluate the impact of the protocol in patients undergoing colorectal surgery, Dr. Lavy and his associates analyzed records from 283 elective laparoscopic colon procedures performed at Monmouth Medical Center from July 2013 to December 2015, a time period that included 11 months prior to implementation of ERAS and 18 months after implementation. The data were analyzed using control charts to assess for process changes, while open or emergent procedures were excluded from review. Key measures assessed included hospital length of stay, direct hospital costs, 30-day readmissions, and complications.
Dr. Lavy reported that following implementation of the ERAS protocol, the median length of stay decreased from 3.8 days to 2.8 days; the median direct hospital costs fell 8.5%, resulting in a savings of $876 per case; and the complication rate dropped from 20% to 16%. No changes were observed in the 30-day readmission rate, which held steady at 8%.
“This multifaceted approach has decreased hospital stay, decreased hospital cost and complication rate, did not change the 30-day readmission rate, and maintained patient safety while improving patient care,” Dr. Lavy said. “We suggest research be conducted to determine how this pathway can be altered to further improve quality of care given to patients while simultaneously reducing hospital costs. Also, these methods may be able to be applied to other surgical subspecialties, including ob.gyn., orthopedics, and urology.”
Dr. Lavy reported having no relevant financial disclosures.
