Lessons following implementation of a colorectal enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol in a rural hospital...

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs have become increasingly popular in the management of patients undergoing colorectal resection. However, the validity of ERAS in rural hospital settings without intensive care facilities has not been primarily evaluated. This study aimed to assess an ERAS protocol in a rural surgical department based in Invercargill New Zealand.

Ten years of prospectively collected data were analysed retrospectively from an ERAS database of all patients undergoing open, converted, or laparoscopic colorectal resections. Data were collected between two time periods: before the implementation of an ERAS protocol, from January 2011 to December 2013; as well as after the implementation of an ERAS protocol, from January 2014 to December 2020. The primary outcome measures were hospital length of stay (LOS) and LOS in the critical care unit (LOS-CCU). Secondary outcomes were compliance with ERAS protocol, mortality, readmission, and reoperation rates.

A total of 118 and 558 colorectal resections were performed in the pre-ERAS and ERAS groups respectively. A statistically significant reduction in hospital LOS was achieved from a median of 8 to 7 days (P = 0.038) when comparing pre-ERAS to ERAS groups respectively. Furthermore, a significant reduction in re-operation rates was observed (7.6% vs. 3% in the ERAS group, P = 0.033) which was seen without a rise in readmission rates (13.6% vs. 13.6% in the ERAS group).

The implementation of ERAS in a rural surgical setting is feasible, and these initial findings suggest ERAS adds value in optimizing the colorectal patient's surgical journey.