Impact of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery System for Colorectal Surgery

The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery system for perioperative care of patients undergoing major abdominal surgery, particularly colorectal surgery, was formed in Europe by a surgeon named Henrik Kehlet in 1994. Dr. Kehlet observed that his patients undergoing colorectal surgery were hospitalized postoperatively for extended periods of time due to prolonged return of the normal intestinal physiology and of other bodily functions. Dr. Kehlet formulated a system of perioperative care that focused on preserving and promoting faster return of normal physiologic function of the human body following surgery. The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery system has been implemented in the United States for nearly a decade now, primarily at major academic institutions. Numerous publications exist that report the dramatic positive impacts of this program on reducing postoperative hospital length of stay, reducing 30-day hospital readmissions, and improving patient satisfaction. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences implemented several components of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery system for colorectal surgery in June 2015. This is an observational study to look at the impact that program (Group 1) in shortening hospital length of stay, reducing postoperative narcotic consumption, lowering Visual Analog Scale scores, decreasing the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and reducing 30-day readmission when compared to patients who had colorectal surgery performed at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences prior to the implementation of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery system (Group 2).