Fast but safe: speeding up clinical pathways in solid organ transplantation. An overview

Clinical pathways such as fast-track and enhanced recovery after surgery protocols have become integrated into transplant anesthesiology care in recent decades. These clinical pathways aim to improve patient outcomes through use of standardized, evidence-based perioperative interventions. In this paper we define the concepts of fast-track and ERAS in the context of transplant anesthesiology and review the origins of these concepts. Next, we discuss clinical pathways in three areas of transplantation: liver transplantation, kidney transplantation, and thoracic organ transplantation. In this expert opinion paper, we review current evidence and recommendations regarding fast-track and ERAS in these areas of transplantation and describe opportunities for future research and guideline development.