Major surgeries - 'ERAS' can reduce no. of days in hospital, help speedy recovery: Manipal Hospital

In treatment and surgery of cancer like colorectal, gastrectomy, neuro and others, the new Enhanced recovery after surgery) certification program can not just reduce the days in hospital, but eliminates the chances of infections and patients coming back with complications.

This programme offers enormous benefits to various healthcare fields, including Oncology, Gynaecology, and Gastroenterology. This is in line with the increasing application of technology in healthcare, which is helping doctors and multidisciplinary surgeons widen their borders of study through evidence-based programs.

What does ERAS consist of?

As per the doctors, the ERAS programme has three parameters such as preoperative optimization, intraoperative goal directed therapy, and postoperative strategies. The patients and their families are taken into confidence, conduct counselling, keep the patient on a good fluid and nutrition diet, minimal fasting with carbohydrate beverages before anaesthesia. With 24 hours of surgery, the patient returns to normal diet and helps in speedy recovery and discharge from hospital. It helps in majorly for cancer patients who should be subjected to chemotherapy and radiation within 21 days after surgery.

Benefits:

With ERAS one can expect decrease in complications, reduction in hospital stay for complex surgeries for patients, decreased postoperative pain, and better and most importantly rapid recovery. The doctors say, the package in ERAS leads to early mobilisation of the patient post-surgery, and lesser chances of rehospitalization.

"The quality of ERAS translates into the best patient care across India. Along with clinical benefits, the days taken to recover are now shortened.  After implementation of ERAS, compliance rate rose from 36% to 94% in over 60% parameters in the application of ERAS. The rate of complications dropped down from 4.5% to 0.6%. Moreover, the length of stay in colorectal surgery was reduced from 8 days to 4.5 days," Dr Somashekhar SP, Chairman and HOD Surgical Oncology, Manipal Comprehensive Cancer Center, Old Airport Road, Bangalore, said.