Outcomes of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols Versus Conventional Management in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways focus on decreasing surgical stress and promoting return to normal function for patients undergoing surgical procedures. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of an ERAS protocol on outcomes of patients undergoing primary sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Outcomes included hospital length of stay (LOS), and management of postoperative pain and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) measured by pain medications and antiemetic use, respectively. Incidence of 90-day emergency department (ED) visits, readmissions, and complications were also analyzed. Methods: A retrospective review was performed from October 1, 2016 to October 31, 2018 of patients enrolled in the ERAS versus the conventional pathway. Patient baseline characteristics, pain and nausea scores, LOS, and postoperative outcome variables were collected. Results: Non-ERAS (n = 193) and ERAS (n = 173) groups had similar patient characteristics. Fewer ERAS patients required postoperative opioids and antiemetics (P < .01), with a significant difference in postoperative nausea control in favor of ERAS patients (P < .05). There was a decreasing trend in median LOS (2 versus 1, P = .28), 90-day postoperative readmissions (10.4% versus 8.1%, P = .47), and major adverse events (5.2% versus 1.7%, P = .07) after ERAS implementation. The ED visits and postoperative need for intravenous fluid for dehydration were significantly lower in the ERAS group (P = .01). Conclusion: Implementation of ERAS pathway for bariatric surgery was associated with less opioid usage, PONV, ED visits, and postoperative need for intravenous fluids, without increasing LOS, 90-day readmission or rates of adverse effects.