Role of regional anesthesia in the enhanced recovery after surgery program

Enhanced recovery after surgery decreases intestinal recovery time and pain intensity in patients undergoing curative gastrectomy

Background

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) reduces postoperative stress, increases patient satisfaction, and reduces postoperative stay and cost. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of ERAS protocols compared with conventional perioperative care group and their effect in gastric cancer patients undergoing gastrectomy.

Methods

A cohort of 366 patients were analyzed from a prospectively maintained database. The patients’ characteristics, tumor profile, surgical information data and postoperative complications were evaluated.

Results

Patients in the ERAS had a faster gastrointestinal function recovery and first flatus (3.26±0.64; P<0.001). Pain intensity of patients in the ERAS group was significantly lower than that of patients in the conventional care group on postoperative days 1 (2.33±0.98; P<0.001) and 3 (1.06±0.63; P<0.001). Postoperative hospital stays were significantly shorter in patients receiving ERAS program (6.66±3.36; P<0.001), than in those patients who received conventional perioperative care (9.02±2.61).

Conclusion

ERAS can reduce postoperative stress, enhance the recovery of the gut, reduce the pain intensity, and increase satisfaction in gastric cancer patient undergoing curative gastrectomy.

Multimodal analgesia and regional anaesthesia

Multimodal analgesia provides quality analgesia, with fewer side effects due to the use of combined analgesics or analgesic techniques. Regional anaesthesia plays a fundamental role in achieving this goal. The different techniques of regional anaesthesia that include both peripheral and central blocks in either a single dose or in continuous infusion help to modulate the nociceptive stimuli that access the central level. The emergence of the ultrasound as an effective system to perform regional anaesthesia techniques has allowed the development of new regional anaesthesia techniques that formerly could not be carried out since only neurostimulation or skin references were used. It is essential to take into account that even with effective blocking it is advisable to associate other drugs by other routes, in this way we will be able to reduce the required doses individually and attempt to achieve a synergistic, not purely additive, effect.