Randomized Controlled Trial of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols in Live Kidney Donors: ERASKT Study

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways represent a comprehensive approach to optimizing perioperative management and reducing hospital stay and cost. In living donor kidney transplantation, key impediments to postoperative discharge include pain, and opioid associated complications such as nausea, vomiting, and the return of gastrointestinal function.

In this randomized controlled trial, living kidney transplantation donors were assigned to either the ERAS or control group. The ERAS group patients received 15 preoperative, 17 intraoperative, 19 postoperative element intervention. The control group received standard care. The ERAS group received a multimodal opioid sparing pain management including an intraoperative transverse abdominis plane block. Our primary outcome measure was postoperative opioid consumption. The secondary outcome measures were postoperative pain scores, first oral intake, and hospital length of stay.

There were no significant differences in demographics between the 2 groups. The ERAS group had a statistically significant reduction in total postoperative opioid consumption calculated in intravenous morphine equivalents (24.2 ± 20.2 versus 71 ± 39.5 mg, P < 0.01). Postoperative pain scores were significantly lower (P < 0.001) from 1 h postoperatively to 48 h. Surgical time was 45 min shorter (P = 0.037). Intraoperative PlasmaLyte administration was lower (PlasmaLyte: 1444 ± 907 versus 2168 ± 1347 mL, P = 0.049). Time to tolerating regular diet was shorter by 2 h (P < 0.008), and length of hospital stay was decreased by 10.1 h.

The ERAS group experienced superior postoperative analgesia and a shorter length of hospital stay compared with controls.