Implementation of a pediatric enhanced recovery pathway decreases opioid utilization and shortens time to full

Michael R Phillips1, William T Adamson2, Sean E McLean1

  • 1The University of North Carolina.

Insights

Implementing an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) surgery improved feeding times and reduced opioid use without compromising outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Gastroenterology
  • Enhanced Recovery Pathways

Background:

  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) management in pediatric surgical patients often involves complex care pathways.
  • Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols aim to optimize patient recovery and reduce surgical stress.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of a pediatric ERAS pathway for patients undergoing surgery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
  • To compare outcomes between patients treated with an ERAS pathway and a preimplementation cohort.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective comparative study involving pediatric patients with IBD.
  • Comparison of patients treated with an ERAS pathway versus a preimplementation cohort (PIC).
  • ERAS pathway focused on minimal fasting, multimodal analgesia, and early enteral nutrition.

Main Results:

  • ERAS patients showed increased regional anesthesia use and faster time to postoperative oral intake (POI).
  • ERAS patients had significantly reduced total and daily opioid utilization.
  • Length of stay (LOS) showed a nonsignificant decrease, and complication rates were similar between groups.

Conclusions:

  • A pediatric ERAS pathway is effective for IBD patients undergoing both laparoscopic and open surgery.
  • ERAS pathways positively impact opioid utilization and time to feeding in pediatric IBD surgery.
  • The implemented ERAS pathway improved key recovery metrics without adverse effects on surgical outcomes.
Abstract

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