Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols in patients undergoing radical cystectomy with ileal urinary diversions: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols were introduced in clinical practice to reduce complication rates and hospital stay. We performed a randomized controlled single center study to evaluate perioperative benefits of an adapted ERAS protocol in patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy (RC) and ileal urinary diversions (IUD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty five from 90 consecutive randomized patients were enrolled in an adapted ERAS protocol. Length of stay, diet issues, return of bowel function, readmission rates and complications were examined. RESULTS: Among patients following ERAS protocol, we found a significant reduction in time to first flatus (1 vs 5 days, P < .001), time to first stool (2 vs 5 days, P < .001), time to normal diet (5 vs 6 days, P < .001) and length of stay (16 vs 18 days, P < .001). Also, postoperative ileus at less than 4 days was lower than in non-ERAS patients (15.6% vs 24.4%), but with a marginal trend toward significance (P = .05). Readmission rate was lower in the ERAS group, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. We also found a lower readmission and complication rate in patients with ERAS protocol (6.6% vs 11.1%, P = .23 and 46.6% vs 57.5%, P = .29, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of ERAS protocol for patients undergoing RC in our center was associated with a significant reduction in the time to the first flatus, time to the first stool, time to a normal diet, length of hospital stay.