Fast-track surgery: Toward comprehensive peri-operative care

Area of Science:

• Surgical Innovation
• Peri-operative Medicine
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Fast-track surgery is a multimodal approach to patient care designed to expedite recovery.
• It integrates surgical, anesthetic, and nutritional modalities, emphasizing early mobilization and feeding.
• This approach aims to reduce the surgical stress response through a multidisciplinary team effort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the benefits and implementation of fast-track surgery.
• To discuss the role of a multidisciplinary team in peri-operative care.
• To identify barriers and potential benefits in the Indian healthcare system.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of evidence-based peri-operative interventions.
• Integration of surgical, anesthetic, and nutritional care pathways.
• Formation of a multidisciplinary team for patient management across pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative phases.

Main Results:

• Significant reduction in hospital stay has been observed.
• No increase in complications or re-admissions associated with fast-track surgery.
• Excellent patient outcomes have been reported with effective implementation.

Conclusions:

• Fast-track surgery offers significant benefits, including reduced hospital stay and maintained safety.
• Effective implementation relies on protocol formulation, intervention execution, and outcome data collection.
• Overcoming barriers like lack of awareness and apprehension is crucial for successful adoption, particularly in the Indian healthcare context.