International Union of Angiology (IUA) Consensus Document on Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) in Vascular Surgery

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a multimodal perioperative care pathway designed to improve recovery, optimize patient outcomes, and enhance overall quality and satisfaction. Successful ERAS implementation requires continuous interprofessional collaboration among anesthesiologists, surgeons, nurses, nutritionists, physiatrists, and gerontologists, extending from preadmission to discharge. This consensus document, developed by the International Union of Angiology (IUA) Youth Committee and senior experts, outlines best practices for ERAS in vascular surgery. It synthesizes current evidence and expert opinions to provide a structured clinical pathway that enhances patient care and facilitates real-world application. This document has outlined key strategies to enhance perioperative outcomes in vascular surgery patients, a population at high risk for periprocedural complications, particularly cardiac events. The authors attempted to clarify and standardize key definitions and provide general guidance on broadly applying ERAS principles based on existing literature and clinical experience. While ERAS protocols for vascular surgery have been recently published by the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), this document offers a complementary perspective, addressing key perioperative steps and providing specific recommendations for both open and endovascular arterial procedures.