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Introduction: Colorectal surgery (CRC) is among the most frequently performed surgical procedures globally, predominantly for colorectal malignancies. Despite advancements, CRC has traditionally been associated with extended postoperative hospital stays, high costs, and signicant complication rates. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have been developed over the past two decades to address these issues, aiming to reduce surgical stress, expedite recovery, and improve outcomes. This prospective observat Materials and Methods: ional study examined the implementation of the ERAS protocol in major elective colorectal surgeries at a national tertiary care hospital in India. The study included 50 patients who met specic inclusion criteria, such as being preoperatively ambulatory and having satisfactory nutritional status. Exclusion criteria included emergency surgeries and patients with major complications. The ERAS protocol was divided into preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative components, focusing on preoperative counselling, carbohydrate loading, multimodal analgesia, early feeding, and ambulation. The study included 50 patients with a mean age of 55.54 ± 10.76 years, with a male t Results: o female ratio of 36:14. Diagnoses included carcinoma of the descending colon (18%), rectum (16%), and sigmoid colon (14%). The implementation of ERAS resulted in a signicant reduction in postoperative complications. Nausea and vomiting were observed in only 4% of patients, and 92% reported satisfactory pain relief. Early return to intestinal peristalsis (IPS) was seen in 82%, and 72% resumed diet on postoperative day 1. Early ambulation occurred in 84% of patients. Wound infections, respiratory tract infections, and urinary tract infections were observed in 4%, 12%, and 8% of patients, respectively. There were no mortalities or re-explorations, and readmission was observed in only 4%. The majority of patients (48%) were discharged between 5 and 7 days post-surgery. Discussion: The study's ndings align with previous research, demonstrating that ERAS protocols reduce hospital length of stay, complications, and readmissions. The results highlight the importance of preoperative counselling, nutritional assessment, and patient education in achieving successful outcomes. This pilot study conrms that implementing ERAS protoco Conclusion: ls in colorectal surgery signicantly enhances recovery, reduces complications, and improves overall patient outcomes. These ndings support the wider adoption of ERAS in colorectal surgery, emphasizing the need for strict compliance to achieve the desired benets.
Deghuria et al. (Mon,) studied this question.