If you have been through surgery or been around someone who has gone through surgery, you would know how painful and hard it is to recover from it. Normally, surgery would require long, painful hospital stays with a harder recovery period.
But what if we told you that there is a way to speed things up, reduce the complications, and get you back on your feet in no time? Well, there is ERAS. You might be wondering what does ERAS stand for? It is Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol, an approach that is rewriting the rules of surgical care.
ERAS is not just another terminology in the world of healthcare, it is a comprehensive strategy that is reshaping how surgeries are performed and how patients recover from them.
Let’s explore what makes ERAS a game-changer, its key components, and why it’s creating a buzz among healthcare professionals and patients alike.
The ERAS protocol, also known as Enhanced Recovery After Surgery, is a set of perioperative care guidelines designed to improve surgical outcomes by minimizing the body’s stress response to surgery.
Originally developed for colorectal surgery in the late 1990s, ERAS has since been adapted to various other surgical specialties, including bariatric, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures.
So, what does ERAS stand for? The acronym sums up the protocol’s core philosophy: to enhance the recovery process after surgery.
This is achieved by focusing on several key areas, such as
Unlike traditional surgical methods that often require long periods of fasting, heavy use of opioid painkillers, and extended bed rest, ERAS takes a more patient-focused approach.
A major difference with ERAS is its focus on evidence-based practices. The guidelines are regularly updated with the latest research, making sure that patients get the most effective and modern care available.
At Oklahoma Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Clinton Webster and his team have integrated ERAS principles into their practice, ensuring that patients benefit from the latest advancements in surgical care.
The ERAS protocol is built on a foundation of several critical components, each designed to optimize the patient’s surgical experience from start to finish. These components can be broadly categorized into preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care.
The ERAS journey actually starts well before a patient even steps into the operating room. Preoperative care under ERAS focuses on getting the patient fully prepared—both physically and mentally.
This begins with a thorough health assessment to spot and address any issues that could complicate the surgery. Alongside the medical check-up, patients receive detailed information about their surgery and what to expect afterwards. This knowledge helps them feel more in control and involved in their own recovery.
Another important part of ERAS preoperative care is nutritional optimization. Instead of the old method of fasting for long hours before surgery, ERAS allows patients to drink clear fluids up to two hours before anesthesia.
This simple step has been shown to lower insulin resistance after surgery and help patients recover more quickly.
In the operating room, the ERAS protocol continues to play a role in patient care by focusing on reducing the body’s stress response to surgery. This is done through various strategies, such as using minimally invasive techniques, managing fluids carefully, and using non-opioid pain relief options.
A key part of ERAS during surgery is the precise control of fluids. Keeping the right fluid balance is essential to lower the risk of complications like swelling and organ issues.
By preventing both dehydration and excess fluids, ERAS helps ensure that the patient’s body is well-prepared to cope with the stress of surgery.
Postoperative care is where the ERAS protocol really stands out, focusing on speeding up recovery and reducing the chance of complications. Here are some key parts of this phase:
ERAS Protocol Medications: For pain management, ERAS uses a multimodal approach—meaning a mix of different medications to manage pain while cutting down on opioid use. This is important because it lowers the risk of side effects from opioids, like nausea, constipation, and potential addiction.
Commonly used medications in ERAS include NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and local anesthetics. By combining these, pain is effectively managed without a heavy reliance on opioids.
Early Mobilization: Another key part of postoperative care in ERAS is getting patients moving early. They are encouraged to get out of bed and start moving around as soon as possible after surgery.
This helps lower the risk of issues like deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pneumonia and also speeds up the return of normal bodily functions.
Nutritional Support: Nutrition continues to be important after surgery. Patients are encouraged to eat and drink as soon as they can, instead of waiting for bowel function to fully return. This approach has been shown to boost healing and shorten hospital stays.
According to a recent case study, implementing the ERAS protocol in colorectal patients significantly reduces the length of stay and total costs. The ERAS protocol offers a wide range of benefits for both patients and healthcare providers.
These benefits stem from the protocol’s holistic approach to surgery, which focuses on optimizing every aspect of patient care—from preoperative preparation to postoperative recovery.
Reduced Complications
One of the most significant benefits of the ERAS protocol is its ability to reduce postoperative complications. By minimizing the body’s stress response to surgery and promoting rapid recovery, ERAS has been shown to significantly lower the risk of complications such as infections, blood clots, and organ dysfunction.
Another major advantage of the ERAS protocol is that it shortens the length of hospital stays. Traditional surgical protocols often involve prolonged hospital stays due to the need for extended recovery periods. However, by promoting faster recovery and reducing the risk of complications, ERAS allows patients to be discharged sooner.
The cost savings associated with the ERAS protocol are significant, both for patients and healthcare systems. By reducing complications, shortening hospital stays, and minimizing the need for opioid medications, ERAS can lead to substantial cost savings. These savings arise from fewer postoperative issues, less reliance on expensive treatments, and quicker patient recoveries, which collectively ease the financial burden on healthcare providers and patients alike.
Perhaps the most important benefit of the ERAS protocol is the improvement in the overall patient experience. By empowering patients to take an active role in their recovery, reducing pain and discomfort, and promoting faster recovery, ERAS enhances the patient journey from start to finish.
Patients who follow the ERAS protocol often report higher levels of satisfaction and a better quality of life after surgery. This is partly because ERAS focuses on reducing the physical and emotional stress of surgery, allowing patients to recover more quickly and with fewer complications.
While the ERAS protocol was originally developed for colorectal surgery, its benefits have been recognized across a wide range of surgical specialties. Today, ERAS is used in procedures ranging from bariatric surgery to body contouring, and its application continues to expand.
Skin rejuvenation procedures offered at Oklahoma Plastic Surgery, while minimally invasive, can still benefit from the patient-focused care principles of ERAS. Ensuring patients are well-prepared pre-procedure and providing clear post-procedure care instructions can enhance the overall patient experience and outcomes.
In the field of orthopedic surgery, ERAS is used to improve outcomes in procedures such as joint replacements and spinal surgery. The protocol emphasizes early mobilization, multimodal pain management, and minimizing the use of opioids, leading to faster recovery and reduced complications.
Body contouring procedures, such as abdominoplasty and liposuction, involve significant surgical intervention, making them suitable for ERAS protocol adaptation. Utilizing the ERAS guidelines, patients undergoing these procedures at Oklahoma Plastic Surgery could benefit from reduced complications, quicker recovery, and minimized postoperative pain. ERAS principles such as multimodal pain management, early nutrition, and mobilization would be particularly beneficial in enhancing patient recovery following these procedures.
As research continues to advance, the ERAS protocol is expected to evolve and expand into even more surgical specialties. The ongoing refinement of ERAS guidelines will likely lead to further improvements in patient outcomes, shorter hospital stays, and reduced healthcare costs.
One area of future development for ERAS is its application in more complex surgical procedures, such as transplant surgery and cardiovascular surgery. As the protocol continues to evolve, it has the potential to become the standard of care across all surgical disciplines, setting a new benchmark for patient outcomes and recovery.
At Oklahoma Plastic Surgery, the commitment to staying at the forefront of these advancements ensures that patients receive the most cutting-edge care available. As the ERAS protocol continues to evolve, patients can rest assured that they are in expert hands, receiving the best possible care for their surgical needs.
Imagine walking into the operating room knowing there’s a modern, patient-focused approach designed to get you back on your feet faster and feeling your best sooner. With ERAS, the future of surgery looks brighter, more efficient, and tailored to give every patient the best possible experience. Discover how the ERAS protocol can enhance your surgical experience at Oklahoma Plastic Surgeons—schedule your consultation today!
* All information subject to change. Images may contain models. Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary.
