Results of fast‐track rehabilitation in elective colonic surgery

SUMMARY Single centers have reported that the implementation of multimodal ‘fast‐track’ rehabilitation concepts improves postoperative convalescence after elective colonic surgery. A systematic review of the literature, including a hand search, for the keywords fast‐track and colo was performed. Fifteen (15) of the 27 submitted manuscripts offered low levels of evidence. Only two manuscripts compared a fast‐track group with a randomized control group. There was no evidence that surgical complications or lethality was increased with fast‐track rehabilitation. Patients received early enteral feeding, were mobilized and discharged 2–5 days after surgery. The maximum readmission rate was 20%. The advantages of early discharge need to be confirmed in high‐volume centers and additional controlled studies performed.