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Classically, colorectal surgery implicates extended hospital stays with a long recovery period and also high postoperative morbidity. Objective: The study's primary purpose is to find the impact of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols on postoperative recovery and hospital stay in colorectal surgery. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at Lady Reading Hospital, Medical Teaching Institution (MTI), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), from January 2021 to January 2024. Data were collected from 84 patients. Patients aged >18 years and scheduled for elective colorectal surgery were included in the study. Results: Data were collected from 84 patients with a mean age of 52.4 ± 12.6 years. Most patients were male (60%, n=50), and 40% (n=34) were female. The average body mass index (BMI) was 26.8 ± 3.5 kg/m². Of the total, 30% (n=25) had a history of smoking, and 20% (n=17) were diabetic. Time to normal bowel function was faster in the ERAS group (1.8 ± 0.6 days) versus the traditional group (3.5 ± 1.1 days, p=0.001). Similarly, the ERAS group had shorter hospital stays (4.2 ± 1.3 days vs. 7.1 ± 2.2 days, p=0.001) and fewer complications (14.3% vs. 33.3%, p=0.03). Conclusion: It is concluded that Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols significantly improve postoperative recovery and reduce hospital stays in colorectal surgery patients.
Naseer et al. (Wed,) studied this question.