Association between enhanced recovery after surgery protocol compliance and clinical complications: a cohort study

BACKGROUND: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol is composed by evidence-based interventions that aim to improve recovery through a reduction in surgical stress response. Although ERAS protocols have been introduced across the globe, exhaustive implementation is not as common. We aimed to study the ERAS protocol compliance in colorectal surgery, assessing the relationship between compliance and postoperative complications. METHODS: A single-center cohort study was conducted. All consecutive patients admitted to elective colorectal surgery were included. We assessed study endpoints according to ERAS protocol perioperative compliance score above 75%. Our primary endpoint was a composite of postoperative events, which includes in-hospital postoperative complications and need for reoperation after 30 days and need for readmission after discharge. Secondary endpoints were surgery-to-discharge time, postoperative use of only non-opioid adjuvants and the individual components of the primary endpoint. RESULTS: A total of 224 colorectal patients were included. The primary endpoint occurred in 59.2% (n.á=.á58) of non-compliant patients comparing to 34.1% (n.á=.á43) in compliant patients. In univariate analysis, compliance to ERAS protocol had an inferior risk for the primary endpoint (p.á<.á0.001). In a logistic regression model, compliance was independently associated with a reduced risk for the primary endpoint with a odds-ratio of 0.42 (95% CI 0.23.Çô0.75, p.á=.á0.004). CONCLUSION: Compliance with the ERAS protocol is associated with less complications, a reduced surgery-to-discharge time and use of only non-opioid adjuvants in the postoperative period. More studies are needed to target the most appropriate compliance goal.