Enhanced recovery after surgery nursing program, a protective factor for stoma-related complications in patients with low rectal cancer

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the association between enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) nursing program and stoma-related complications (SRCs) and prognosis in patients with low rectal cancer (LRC) undergoing abdominoperineal resection with sigmoidostomy. METHODS: LRC patients who underwent elective abdominoperineal resection with sigmoidostomy between May 2016 and May 2019 were retrospectively enrolled. The occurrence of early major or minor SRCs (within postoperative 30 days) was set as the primary end-point. Clinicopathological variables and laboratory tests were compared between patients with or without SRCs. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate risk factors for SRCs. Hospitalization satisfaction-related and prognosis-related variables were compared between LRC patients with or without ERAS nursing program. RESULTS: A total of 288 patients were enrolled and the incidence of SRCs was 26.7% (77/288). ERAS nursing program was the only independent risk factor for SRCs in LRC patients (OR 2.04, 95%CI 1.31–3.12, P = 0.016) by the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Moreover, ERAS nursing program was associated with higher hospitalization satisfaction rate, faster bowel function recovery, better psychological status, and higher quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: ERAS nursing program was a protective factor for SRCs and associated with improved prognosis in LRC patients undergoing elective abdominoperineal resection with sigmoidostomy.