Critical review of enhanced recovery after surgery in vascular surgery: ERAS protocol in vascular surgery

The concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery-ERAS) represents a multimodal approach to surgical treatment of patients, based on evidence, starting preoperatively and continuing postoperatively. The concept aims to improve patient recovery while reducing complications and reducing length of hospital stay. The ERAS concept has become the standard of care in colorectal surgery. It is also used in vascular surgery, especially aortic and carotid surgery. In 2022, the Society for Vascular Surgery and the ERAS Society published the latest recommendations for vascular surgery for patients undergoing open aortic surgery. The study included 590 abstracts. The recommendations refer to the period before the admission of the patient, as well as to the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative period. Among the most important recommendations are the introduction of preoperative patient education, screening of anemia and nutritional status, optimization of risk factors, reduction of the use of nasogastric tubes and drainage, use of multimodal analgesia, targeted replacement of fluid, early removal of urinary catheters, active and early mobilization, and early enteral nutrition. There is more and more evidence about the importance of the ERAS protocol in elective vascular surgery, as well as its impact on reducing the length of hospital stay, reducing complications and better recovery of patients, lower treatment costs. Its application depends on the medical staff, so the education of healthcare workers is needed in this field.