Guidelines for postoperative care in gynecologic/oncology surgery: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society recommendations--Part II. Gynecol Oncol. 2016;140:323-332. [PMID: 26757238 PMCID: PMC6038804 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2015.12.019]

Enhanced recovery after surgery versus conventional postoperative care in patients undergoing hysterectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Hysterectomy is a common gynecological surgery associated with significant postoperative discomfort and extended hospital stays. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), a multidisciplinary approach, has emerged as a strategy aimed at improving perioperative outcomes and promoting faster patient recovery and satisfaction. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of ERAS protocols on clinical outcomes, such as hospital stay length, readmission rates, and postoperative complications, in patients undergoing gynecological hysterectomy.

METHODS

Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. Databases including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library were searched for relevant studies published up to January 31, 2023. A total of seventeen studies were selected based on predefined eligibility and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was carried out using a random-effects model with the STATA SE 14.0 software, focusing on outcomes like length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, and readmission rates.

RESULTS

ERAS protocols significantly reduced the length of hospital stays and incidence of postoperative complications such as ileus, without increasing readmission rates or the level of patient-reported pain. Notable heterogeneity was observed among included studies, attributed to the variation in patient populations and the specificity of the documented study protocols.

CONCLUSION

The findings underscore the effectiveness of ERAS protocols in enhancing recovery trajectories in gynecological hysterectomy patients. This reinforces the imperative for broader, standardized adoption of ERAS pathways as an evidence-based approach, fostering a safer and more efficient perioperative care paradigm.

Perioperative liberal drinking management promotes postoperative gastrointestinal function recovery after gynecological laparoscopic surgery: A randomized controlled trial

STUDY OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the effect of perioperative liberal drinking management, including preoperative carbohydrate loading (PCL) given 2 h before surgery and early oral feeding (EOF) at 6 h postoperatively, in enhancing postoperative gastrointestinal function and improving outcomes in gynecologic patients. The hypotheses are that the perioperative liberal drinking management accelerates the recovery of gastrointestinal function, enhances dietary tolerance throughout hospitalization, and ultimately reduces the length of hospitalization.

DESIGN

A prospective randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

Operating room and gynecological ward in Wuhan Union Hospital.

PATIENTS

We enrolled 210 patients undergoing elective gynecological laparoscopic surgery, and 157 patients were included in the final analysis.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were randomly allocated in a 1:1:1 ratio into three groups, including the control, PCL, and PCL-EOF groups. The anesthetists and follow-up staff were blinded to group assignment.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome was the postoperative Intake, Feeling nauseated, Emesis, Examination, and Duration of symptoms (I-FEED) score (range 0 to 14, higher scores worse). Secondary outcomes included the incidence of I-FEED scores >2, and other additional indicators to monitor postoperative gastrointestinal function, including time to first flatus, time to first defecation, time to feces Bristol grade 3-4, and time to tolerate diet. Additionally, we collected other ERAS recovery indicators, including the incidence of PONV, complications, postoperative pain score, satisfaction score, and the quality of postoperative functional recovery at discharge.

MAIN RESULTS

The PCL-EOF exhibited significantly enhanced gastrointestinal function recovery compared to control group and PCL group (p < 0.05), with the lower I-FEED score (PCL: 0[0,1] vs. PCL-EOF: 0[0,0] vs. control: 1[0,2]) and the reduced incidence of I-FEED >2 (PCL:8% vs. PCL-EOF: 2% vs. control:21%). Compared to the control, the intervention of PCL-EOF protected patients from the incidence of I-FEED score > 2 [HR:0.09, 95%CI (0.01-0.72), p = 0.023], and was beneficial in promoting the patient's postoperative first flatus [PCL-EOF: HR:3.33, 95%CI (2.14-5.19),p < 0.001], first defecation [PCL-EOF: HR:2.76, 95%CI (1.83-4.16), p < 0.001], Bristol feces grade 3-4 [PCL-EOF: HR:3.65, 95%CI (2.36-5.63), p < 0.001], first fluid diet[PCL-EOF: HR:2.76, 95%CI (1.83-4.16), p < 0.001], and first normal diet[PCL-EOF: HR:6.63, 95%CI (4.18-10.50), p < 0.001]. Also, the length of postoperative hospital stay (PCL-EOF: 5d vs. PCL: 6d and control: 6d, p < 0.001), the total cost (PCL-EOF: 25052 ± 3650y vs. PCL: 27914 ± 4684y and control: 26799 ± 4775y, p = 0.005), and postoperative VAS pain score values [POD0 (PCL-EOF: 2 vs. control: 4 vs. PCL: 4, p < 0.001), POD1 (PCL-EOF: 1 vs. control: 3 vs. PCL: 2, p < 0.001), POD2 (PCL-EOF: 1 vs. control:2 vs. PCL: 1, p < 0.001), POD3 (PCL-EOF: 0 vs. control: 1 vs. PCL: 1, p < 0.001)] were significantly reduced in PCL-EOF group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our primary endpoint, I-FEED score demonstrated significant reduction with perioperative liberal drinking, serving as a protective intervention against I-FEED>2. Gastrointestinal recovery metrics, such as time to first flatus and defecation, also showed substantial improvements. Furthermore, the intervention enhanced postoperative dietary tolerance and expedited early recovery.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ChiCTR2300071047(https://www.chictr.org.cn/).

Construction of a predictive model for postoperative hospitalization time in colorectal cancer patients based on interpretable machine learning algorithm: a prospective preliminary study

Objective

This study aims to construct a predictive model based on machine learning algorithms to assess the risk of prolonged hospital stays post-surgery for colorectal cancer patients and to analyze preoperative and postoperative factors associated with extended hospitalization.

Methods

We prospectively collected clinical data from 83 colorectal cancer patients. The study included 40 variables (comprising 39 predictor variables and 1 target variable). Important variables were identified through variable selection via the Lasso regression algorithm, and predictive models were constructed using ten machine learning models, including Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Light Gradient Boosting Machine, KNN, and Extreme Gradient Boosting, Categorical Boosting, Artificial Neural Network and Deep Forest. The model performance was evaluated using Bootstrap ROC curves and calibration curves, with the optimal model selected and further interpreted using the SHAP explainability algorithm.

Results

Ten significantly correlated important variables were identified through Lasso regression, validated by 1000 Bootstrap resamplings, and represented through Bootstrap ROC curves. The Logistic Regression model achieved the highest AUC (AUC=0.99, 95% CI=0.97-0.99). The explainable machine learning algorithm revealed that the distance walked on the third day post-surgery was the most important variable for the LR model.

Conclusion

This study successfully constructed a model predicting postoperative hospital stay duration using patients' clinical data. This model promises to provide healthcare professionals with a more precise prediction tool in clinical practice, offering a basis for personalized nursing interventions, thereby improving patient prognosis and quality of life and enhancing the efficiency of medical resource utilization.

Optimizing Opioid Prescription Quantity After Cesarean Delivery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

To test whether an individualized opioid-prescription protocol (IOPP) with a shared decision-making component can be used without compromising postcesarean pain management.

METHODS

In this multicenter randomized controlled noninferiority trial, we compared IOPP with shared decision making with a fixed quantity of opioid tablets at hospital discharge. We recruited at 31 centers participating in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. Study participants had uncomplicated cesarean births. Follow-up occurred through 12 weeks postdischarge. Individuals with complicated cesarean births or history of opioid use in the pregnancy were excluded. Participants were randomized 1:1 to IOPP with shared decision making or fixed quantity (20 tablets of 5 mg oxycodone). In the IOPP group, we calculated recommended tablet quantity based on opioid use in the 24 hours before discharge. After an educational module and shared decision making, participants selected a quantity of discharge tablets (up to 20). The primary outcome was moderate to severe pain (score 4 or higher [possible range 0-10]) on the BPI (Brief Pain Inventory) at 1 week after discharge. A total sample size of 5,500 participants was planned to assess whether IOPP with shared decision making was not inferior to the fixed quantity of 20 tablets.

RESULTS

From September 2020 to March 2022, 18,990 individuals were screened and 5,521 were enrolled (n=2,748 IOPP group, n=2,773 fixed-quantity group). For the primary outcome, IOPP with shared decision making was not inferior to fixed quantity (59.5% vs 60.1%, risk difference 0.67%; 95% CI, -2.03% to 3.37%, noninferiority margin -5.0) and resulted in significantly fewer tablets received (median 14 [interquartile range 4-20] vs 20, P<.001) through 90 days postpartum.

CONCLUSION

Compared with fixed quantity, IOPP with shared decision making was noninferior for outpatient postcesarean analgesia at 1 week postdischarge and resulted in fewer prescribed opioid tablets at discharge.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04296396.

The Impact of Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Low Stress-Coping Capacity on the Effects of Telephone Follow-Up on Recovery Measures After Hysterectomy

Background

To investigate if symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress-coping capacity have an impact on the effect of telephone follow-up (TFU) on trajectories of six recovery measures after hysterectomy and influence the occurrence of unplanned telephone contacts (uTCs) and unplanned visits (uVs) to health care providers.

Material and Methods

A post hoc nonrandomized analysis of participants enrolled in a randomized, four-armed, single-blinded, controlled multicenter intervention study comprising 487 women where the women were allocated 1:1:1:1 to one of four TFU models. The Swedish Postoperative Symptom Questionnaire (SPSQ) and two health-related quality of life questionnaires, the EuroQoL-5 dimension with three levels (EQ-5 D-3 L) and the Short-Form-Health Survey (SF-36) assessed the recovery measures. The six recovery measures consisted of the EQ-5D-3L health index, the SF-36 physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS), and the maximum and average pain intensity, and symptom sum score obtained from the SPSQ. Psychological distress was evaluated by the psychometric forms, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Stress Coping Inventory. The occurrence of uTC and uV within the 6 weeks of follow-up was registered.

Results

Preoperative anxiety, depression, and stress-coping capacity did not modify the effects of the TFU models on the trajectories of the recovery measures, although anxiety and depression were strongly associated with all six recovery measures. uTCs, but not uVs occurred more often in the women with anxiety.

Conclusions

Preoperative anxiety, depression, and stress-coping capacity did not appear to influence the effects of TFU contacts on the recovery measures after hysterectomy. Preoperative anxiety seemed to increase the occurrence of uTC. Clinical Trials Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01526668).

Racial and ethnic differences in early death among gynecologic malignancy

BACKGROUND

Racial and ethnic differences in early death after cancer diagnosis have not been well studied in gynecologic malignancy.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess population-level trends and characteristics of early death among patients with gynecologic malignancy based on race and ethnicity in the United States.

STUDY DESIGN

The National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program was queried to examine 461,300 patients with gynecologic malignancies from 2000 to 2020, including uterine (n=242,709), tubo-ovarian (n=119,989), cervical (n=68,768), vulvar (n=22,991), and vaginal (n=6843) cancers. Early death, defined as a mortality event within 2 months of the index cancer diagnosis, was evaluated per race and ethnicity.

RESULTS

At the cohort level, early death occurred in 21,569 patients (4.7%), including 10.5%, 5.5%, 2.9%, 2.5%, and 2.4% for tubo-ovarian, vaginal, cervical, uterine, and vulvar cancers, respectively (P<.001). In a race- and ethnicity-specific analysis, non-Hispanic Black patients with tubo-ovarian cancer had the highest early death rate (14.5%). Early death racial and ethnic differences were the largest in tubo-ovarian cancer (6.4% for Asian vs 14.5% for non-Hispanic Black), followed by uterine (1.6% for Asian vs 4.9% for non-Hispanic Black) and cervical (1.8% for Hispanic vs 3.8% to non-Hispanic Black) cancers (all, P<.001). In tubo-ovarian cancer, the early death rate decreased over time by 33% in non-Hispanic Black patients from 17.4% to 11.8% (adjusted odds ratio, 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.53-0.85) and 23% in non-Hispanic White patients from 12.3% to 9.5% (adjusted odds ratio, 0.77; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-0.85), respectively. The early death between-group difference diminished only modestly (12.3% vs 17.4% for 2000-2002 [adjusted odds ratio for non-Hispanic White vs non-Hispanic Black, 0.54; 95% confidence interval, 0.45-0.65] and 9.5% vs 11.8% for 2018-2020 [adjusted odds ratio, 0.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-0.78]).

CONCLUSION

Overall, approximately 5% of patients with gynecologic malignancy died within the first 2 months from cancer diagnosis, and the early death rate exceeded 10% in non-Hispanic Black individuals with tubo-ovarian cancer. Although improving early death rates is encouraging, the difference among racial and ethnic groups remains significant, calling for further evaluation.

Enhanced recovery after surgery from 1997 to 2022: a bibliometric and visual analysis

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a multimodal perioperative management concept, but there is no article to comprehensively review the collaboration and impact of countries, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords on ERAS from a bibliometric perspective. This study assessed the evolution of clustering of knowledge structures and identified hot trends and emerging topics. Articles and reviews related to ERAS were retrieved through subject search from the Web of Science Core Collection. We used the following strategy: "TS = Enhanced recovery after surgery" OR "Enhanced Postsurgical Recovery" OR "Postsurgical Recoveries, Enhanced" OR "Postsurgical Recovery, Enhanced" OR "Recovery, Enhanced Postsurgical" OR "Fast track surgery" OR "improve surgical outcome". Bibliometric analyses were conducted on Excel 365, CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrics (R-Tool of R-Studio). Totally 3242 articles and reviews from 1997 to 2022 were included. These publications were mainly from 684 journals in 78 countries, led by the United States and China. Kehlet H published the most papers and had the largest number of co-citations. Analysis of the journals with the most outputs showed that most journals mainly cover Surgery and Oncology. The hottest keyword is "enhanced recovery after surgery". Later appearing topics and keywords indicate that the hotspots and future research trends include ERAS protocols for other types of surgery and improving perioperative status, including "bariatric surgery", "thoracic surgery", and "prehabilitation". This study reviewed the research on ERAS using bibliometric and visualization methods, which can help scholars better understand the dynamic evolution of ERAS and provide directions for future research.

Initial experience with the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols in gynecologic surgery at an urban academic tertiary medical center

Background

The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have been consistently associated with improved patient experience and surgical outcomes. Despite the release of ERAS Society guidelines specific to gynecologic oncology, the adoption of ERAS in gynecology on global level has been disappointingly low and some centers have shown minimal improvement in clinical outcomes after adopting ERAS. The aim of this study is to describe the development and early experience of ERAS protocols in gynecologic surgery at an urban academic tertiary medical center.

Methods

This was an observational prospective cohort study. The target patient population included those with low comorbidities who were scheduled to undergo various types of gynecologic surgeries for both benign and malignant diseases between October 2020 and February 2021. Two attending surgeons implemented the protocols for their patients (ERAS cohort) while three attending surgeons maintained the conventional perioperative care for their patients (non-ERAS cohort). Baseline characteristics, surgical outcomes and patients' answers to a 12-question survey were compared. A case-matched comparative analysis was also performed between the ERAS cohort and the historical non-ERAS cohort (those who received the same types of surgical procedures from the two ERAS attending surgeons prior to the implementation of the protocols).

Results

A total of 244 patients were evaluated (122 in the ERAS cohort vs. 122 in the non-ERAS cohort). The number of vials of opioid analgesia used during the first two postoperative days was significantly lower whereas the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen was more frequent in the ERAS cohort group. The patients in the ERAS group reported less postoperative pain, feelings of hunger and thirst, and greater amount of exercise postoperatively. These benefits of the ERAS cohort were more pronounced in the patients who underwent laparotomic surgeries than those who underwent laparoscopic surgeries. The case-matched comparative analysis also showed similar results. The length of hospital stay did not differ between those who underwent the ERAS protocols and those who did not.

Conclusions

The results of the study demonstrated the safety, clinical feasibility and benefits of the ERAS protocols for patients undergoing gynecologic surgeries for both benign and malignant indications.

Exploring perioperative risk factors for poor recovery of postoperative gastrointestinal function following gynecological surgery: A retrospective cohort study

Purpose

To investigate perioperative risk factors that affect the recovery of postoperative gastrointestinal function in patients undergoing gynecological surgery and to establish a preoperative risk prediction scoring system.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, characteristics and perioperative factors of patients who underwent elective gynecological surgery at Union Hospital from January 2021 to March 2022 were extracted from electronic medical records. Patients were grouped according to the Intake, Feeling nauseated, Emesis, physical Exam, and Duration of symptoms (I-FEED) scoring system to compare collected data.

Results

In total, clinical data from 208 gynecological patients were extracted. The incidence of poor postoperative gastrointestinal recovery was 7.21 %. The number of previous abdominal surgeries (0.73 ± 0.06 vs 1.20 ± 0.24, p = 0.044), the incidence of malignant disease (20.2 % vs 53.3 %, p = 0.003), postoperative maximum WBC count (9.15 vs 12.44, p = 0.005) and postoperative minimum potassium (3.97 ± 0.36 vs 3.76 ± 0.37, p = 0.036) were not only associated with poor postoperative gastrointestinal recovery, but also malignant disease (p = 0.000), postoperative maximum WBC count (p = 0.027) and postoperative minimum potassium (p = 0.024) were significantly associated with the severity of postoperative gastrointestinal function. An increased number of previous abdominal surgeries and malignant primary disease could increase the risk of an I-FEED score >2 as independent risk factors.

Conclusion

Patients with poor postoperative GI function had poorer postoperative recovery outcomes. A preoperative score prediction system was established, in which patients with ≥2 points had a 19.4 % risk of poor postoperative gastrointestinal recovery. Higher-quality prospective studies should be performed to achieve more precise risk stratification and to construct a more accurate prediction system.

Not All Bad Comes to Harm: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery for Rectosigmoid Endometriosis

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of implementing an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol on the length of hospitalization in women undergoing laparoscopy for rectosigmoid deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE).

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

An academic referral center for endometriosis and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery.

PATIENTS

Women aged between 18 and 50 years scheduled for laparoscopic excision (shaving, full-thickness anterior wall resection, segmental resection) of rectosigmoid endometriosis between February 2017 and February 2023.

INTERVENTIONS

We divided patients into 2 groups (non-ERAS and ERAS) based on the timing of surgery (before or after March 5, 2020). Starting from this day, restrictions were issued to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, inducing our group to implement an ERAS protocol for patients hospitalized after surgery for posterior DIE.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

We included 579 patients in the analysis, 316 (54.6%) in the non-ERAS group and 263 (45.4%) in the ERAS group. In the ERAS group, we observed a shorter length of hospital stay (5.8 ± 3.1 days vs 4.8 ± 2.9 days; p <.001) and lower complications rates (33, 12.5% vs 60, 19.0%; p = .04), despite a decreased frequency of conservative surgical approaches (shaving procedures 121 vs 196; p <.001). Repeated surgery or hospital readmissions owing to postdischarge complications were infrequent, with no significant differences between the 2 groups. The multiple linear regression analysis strengthened our results given the higher prevalence of bowel resection surgeries (both full-thickness anterior wall or segmental), showing that patients managed with a multimodal protocol had an overall reduction of hospital stay by 1.5 days.

CONCLUSION

The implementation of an ERAS program in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for DIE is associated with a significant reduction in hospital stay, without an increase in perioperative or postoperative complication rates.

Influence of Regional Analgesia on Self-Reported Quality of Sleep After Gynecological Abdominal Surgery: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Trial

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether intrathecal morphine (ITM) analgesia in abdominal surgery for presumed gynecological malignancy was associated with better self-reported sleep quality postoperatively compared with epidural analgesia (EDA), and to evaluate risk factors for bad sleep quality.

METHODS

A secondary analysis of a randomized open controlled trial, comparing ITM and EDA as postoperative analgesia in 80 women undergoing laparotomy under general anaesthesia in an enhanced recovery after surgery framework. A total of 38 women allocated to ITM and 39 to EDA completed the study. The Swedish Postoperative Symptoms Questionnaire assessed symptoms and sleep quality during the first postoperative week. Multiple logistic regression models evaluated risk factors. The results are presented as adjusted odds ratios with 95% CIs.

RESULTS

The sleep quality night-by-night did not differ significantly between the women who had ITM or EDA. Risk factors for bad sleep quality for night 1 were age (0.91; 0.84-0.99), operation time (1.02; 1.00-1.03), and opioid consumption (0.96; 0.91-0.99). For night 2, regular use of hypnotics preoperatively (15.81; 1.52-164.27) and opioid consumption (1.07; 1.00-1.14) were independent risk factors for bad sleep. After the second night, no risk factors were disclosed.

CONCLUSIONS

ITM and EDA did not appear to affect the sleep quality postoperatively differently in women undergoing laparotomy for presumed gynecological malignancy. Risk factors for self-reported bad sleep quality varied during the first 3 days after surgery. Younger age, longer operation time, and preoperative use of hypnotics were associated with bad sleep quality, whereas the effect of opioid consumption on sleep quality varied depending on the time since surgery. These findings merit further studies.

Evaluation of a tiered opioid prescription algorithm in an ERAS pathway: exploring opportunities for further refinement

BACKGROUND

Opioid over-prescription is wasteful and contributes to the opioid crisis. We implemented a personalized tiered discharge opioid protocol and education on opioid disposal to minimize over-prescription.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the intervention by investigating opioid use post-discharge for women undergoing abdomino-pelvic surgery, and patient adherence to opioid disposal education.

METHODS

We analyzed post-discharge opioid consumption among 558 patients. Eligible patients included those who underwent elective gynecologic surgery, were not taking scheduled opioids pre-operatively, and received discharge opioids according to a tiered prescribing algorithm. A survey assessing discharge opioid consumption and disposal safety knowledge was distributed on post-discharge day 21. Over-prescription was defined as >20% of the original prescription left over. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis.

RESULTS

The survey response rate was 61% and 59% in the minimally invasive surgery and open surgery cohorts, respectively. Overall, 42.8% of patients reported using no opioids after hospital discharge, 45.2% in the minimally invasive surgery and 38.6% in the open surgery cohort. Furthermore, 74.9% of respondents were over-prescribed, with median age being statistically significant for this group (p=0.004). Finally, 46.4% of respondents expressed no knowledge regarding safe disposal practices, with no statistically significant difference between groups (p>0.99).

CONCLUSION

Despite implementation of the tiered discharge opioid algorithm aimed to personalize opioid prescriptions to estimated need, we still over-prescribed opioids. Additionally, despite targeted education, nearly half of all patients who completed the survey did not know how to dispose of their opioid tablets. Additional efforts are needed to further refine the algorithm to reduce over-prescription of opioids and improve disposal education.

Cost impact analysis of enhanced recovery after minimally invasive gynecologic oncology surgery

OBJECTIVE

The implementation of a peri-operative care program based on enhanced recovery after surgery principles for minimally invasive gynecologic oncology surgery led to an improvement in same day discharge from 29% to 75% at our center. This study aimed to determine the program's economic impact.

METHODS

Our initial enhanced recovery quality improvement program enrolled consecutive patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy at a single center during a 12-month period and compared them to a pre-intervention cohort. The primary outcome was overall costs. The secondary outcomes were surgical and post-operative visit costs. The surgical visit costs included pre-operative and operating room, post-operative stay, pharmacy, and interventions costs. The 30-day post-operative visit costs included clinic and emergency room, and readmission costs. The costs for every visit were collected from the case-cost department and expressed in 2020 Canadian dollars (CAD).

RESULTS

A total of 96 and 101 patients were included in the pre- and post-intervention groups, respectively. The median total cost per patient for post-intervention was $7252 compared with $8381 pre-intervention (p=0.02), resulting in a $1129 cost reduction per patient. The total cost for the program implementation was $134 per patient for a total cost of $13 106. The median post-operative stay cost was $816 post-intervention compared with $1278 pre-intervention (p<0.05). Statistically significant savings for the post-intervention group were also found for operative visit, operating room costs, and pharmacy (p<0.05). On multivariate analysis, surgical approach was the only factor associated with operating room costs, whereas both surgical approach and group (pre- vs post-intervention) impacted the total and post-operative stay costs (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

In addition to increasing the same day discharge rate after minimally invasive gynecologic oncology surgery, an enhanced recovery-based peri-operative care program led to significant reductions in cost.

Effect of transversus abdominis plane block on postoperative outcomes in gynecologic oncology patients managed on an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery pathway

OBJECTIVES

To characterize the effect of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks on post-operative outcomes in patients undergoing laparotomy for gynecologic malignancy.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study assessed patients undergoing laparotomy in 2016-2017 and 2020 in Alberta, Canada. The primary outcome was opioid consumption in oral morphine milligram equivalent (MME). Secondary outcomes included maximum pain scores, length of stay, and patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) use. Outcomes were compared using t-test with subgroup analysis by NSAID use. Multivariate regression modelling was performed for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Data was collected on 956 patients; 828 received a TAP block, 128 did not. Opioid use in the first 24 h was lower in the TAP block group (35.9 mg MME vs 44.5 mg MME, p = 0.0294), without any increase in pain scores, this did not remain significant after regression analysis. Patients with TAP blocks had significant reduced mean length of stay (3.2 days vs. 5.0 days, p < 0.0001), and PCA use (19.9% vs. 56.25%, p < 0.0001). On subgroup analysis of patients that did not receive NSAIDs (n = 160), mean opioid use was decreased in those patients with TAP blocks compared to those without TAP blocks in the first 24 h (36.1 mg vs. 61.2 mg, p = 0.0017), and at 24 to 48 h (16.3 mg vs. 51.0 mg, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Surgeon-administered TAP blocks were associated with decreased length of stay and post-operative opioid use in patients not receiving scheduled NSAIDs. This decrease in opioid use was not associated with any increase in average or maximum pain scores.

Benefits of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Pathway With Quadratus Lumborum Blocks for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

STUDY OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the effect of the implementation of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol among patients receiving minimally invasive gynecologic surgery.

DESIGN AND SETTING

This retrospective cohort study was performed in a tertiary care hospital.

PATIENTS

A total of 328 females who underwent minimally invasive gynecologic surgeries requiring at least one overnight stay at Keck Hospital of University of Southern California (USC), California, USA, from 2016 to 2020 were included in this study.

INTERVENTIONS

The institutional ERAS protocol was implemented in late 2018. A total of 186 patients from 2016 to 2018 prior to the implementation were compared to 142 patients from 2018 to 2020 after the implementation. Intraoperatively, the ERAS group received a multimodal analgesic regimen (including bilateral quadratus lumborum (QL) blocks) and postoperative care geared toward a satisfactory, safe, and expeditious discharge.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The two groups were similar in demographics, except for the shorter surgical time noted in the ERAS group. The median opioid use was significantly less among the ERAS patients compared with the non-ERAS patients on postoperative day 1 (7.5 vs. 14.3 mg; p<0.001) and throughout the hospital stay (17.4 vs. 36.2 mg; p<0.001). The ERAS group also had a shorter median hospital length of stay compared to the non-ERAS group (p<0.01). Among patients with a malignant diagnosis, patients in the ERAS group had significantly less postoperative day 1 and total opioid use and a shorter hospital stay (p<0.01). Within the ERAS group, 20% of the patients did not end up receiving a QL block. Opioid use and length of stay were similar between patients who did and did not receive the QL block.

CONCLUSIONS

The ERAS pathway was associated with a reduction in opioid use postoperatively and a shorter length of hospital stay after minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. There was a more significant decrease in opioid use and hospital length of stay for patients with malignant diagnoses compared to patients with benign diagnoses. Further research can be done to fully delineate the effect of QL blocks in ERAS protocols.

Eliminating the routine use of postoperative drain placement in patients undergoing robotic-assisted radical cystectomy with intracorporeal urinary diversion

INTRODUCTION

Perioperative management of patients undergoing radical cystectomy and urinary diversion utilizing both open and minimally invasive techniques have routinely included the use of drains in the operative field. We herein demonstrate the safety of robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) without the routine use of postoperative drains.

METHODS

Patients who underwent drainless RARC with intracorporeal urinary diversion between 2017 and 2022 at our institution were reviewed. Baseline and clinical characteristics as well as perioperative and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. The primary study outcome was incidence of postoperative urinary leak or intra-abdominal infectious collections within 90 days of RARC. A univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine associations between study variables and the primary outcome.

RESULTS

Of 381 patients, 298 (78.2%) were male and median age and BMI were 68 (63, 76) and 26.2 [23.0, 29.8], respectively. Overall 30 and 90-day complication rates were 39.6% and 50.4%, respectively. Twenty-one (5.5%) patients experienced a urine leak or intra-abdominal infectious collections. Sub-group analysis of patients who experienced the primary outcome demonstrated median postoperative day of presentation was day 19, and this group required 16 total additional procedures. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, only prior radiation therapy was associated with the development of the primary outcome of urinary leak or intra-abdominal infectious collection (odds ratio: 15.12, 95% confidence interval [1.52-156.8], p = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

Drainless RARC with totally intracorporeal urinary diversion achieved competitive perioperative and complications outcomes compared to prior open and robotic series. In the context of a larger enhanced recovery after surgery protocol in RARC patients, the routine use of drains may be safely omitted.

Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Oncology Surgery: A Review

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) has established benefits in open gynecologic oncology surgery. However, the benefits for gynecologic oncology patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery (MIS) are less well defined. We conducted a review of this topic after a comprehensive search of the peer-reviewed literature using MEDLINE and PubMed databases. Our search yielded 25 articles, 14 of which were original research articles, in 10 distinct patient cohorts describing ERAS in minimally invasive gynecologic oncology surgery. Major benefits of ERAS in MIS included: decreased length of stay and increased rates of same-day discharge, cost-savings, decreased opioid use, and increased patient satisfaction. ERAS in minimally invasive gynecologic oncology surgery is an area of great promise for both patients and the healthcare system.

Virtual reality for the treatment of postoperative pain after laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign Indications: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this study was to determine if immediate post-operative use of virtual reality impacts pain scores or opioid consumption following hysterectomy.

STUDY DESIGN

A randomized controlled trial was performed at a university associated tertiary referral hospital in the United States among patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign indications. Prior to surgery, participants were randomized to use a VR program versus routine care postoperatively in the post anesthesia care unit. Postoperative pain was measured using visual analogue scale, and morphine milligram equivalent to quantify narcotic usage. Patient satisfaction was assessed with a survey. A total of 15 patients were randomized to the virtual reality intervention and 15 to the standard care group. The test statistic was a one-sided T-test, with a significance level targeted of 0.05. Categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square analysis and t-test for continuous variables. Pain score differences between the virtual reality and standard care groups at each time assessment were compared using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test.

RESULTS

The use of virtual reality did not significantly affect pain scores or postoperative narcotics required; however, it did have a positive impact on the subject's perception of their postoperative course. No adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSION

Although virtual reality use following hysterectomy did not improve pain scores or decrease narcotic usage, it was well received by patients.

Temporal trends of failure-to-rescue following perioperative complications in vulvar cancer surgery in the United States

OBJECTIVE

Failure-to-rescue, defined as mortality following a perioperative complication, is a perioperative quality indicator studied in various surgeries, but not in vulvar cancer surgery. The objective of this study was to assess failure-to-rescue in patients undergoing surgical therapy for vulvar cancer.

METHODS

This cross-section study queried the National Inpatient Sample. The study population was 31,077 patients who had surgical therapy for vulvar cancer from 1/2001-9/2015. The main outcomes were (i) perioperative morbidity (29 indicators) and (ii) mortality following a perioperative complication during the index admission for vulvar surgery (failure-to-rescue), assessed with a multivariable binary logistic regression model.

RESULTS

The cohort-level median age was 69 years, and 14,337 (46.1%) had medical comorbidity. Perioperative complications were reported in 4736 (15.2%) patients during the hospital admission for vulvar surgery. In multivariable analysis, patient factors including older age, medical comorbidity, and morbid obesity, and treatment factors with prior radiotherapy and radical vulvectomy were associated with perioperative complications (P < 0.05). The number of patients with morbid obesity, higher comorbidity index, and prior radiotherapy increased over time (P-trends < 0.001). Among 4736 patients who developed perioperative complications, 55 patients died during the hospital admission for vulvar surgery (failure-to-rescue rate, 1.2%). In multivariable analysis, cardiac arrest (adjusted-odds ratio [aOR] 27.25), sepsis or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (aOR 11.54), pneumonia (aOR 6.03), shock (aOR 4.37), and respiratory failure (aOR 3.10) were associated with failure-to-rescue (high-risk morbidities). There was an increasing trend of high-risk morbidities from 2.0% to 3.7% over time, but the failure-to-rescue from high-risk morbidities decreased from 9.1% to 2.8% (P-trend < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Vulvar cancer patients undergoing surgical treatment had increased comorbidity over time with an increase in high-risk complications. However, failure-to-rescue rate has decreased significantly.

Parenteral nutrition after cytoreductive surgery for peritoneal malignancy: Should it be administered routinely?

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) is complex abdominal surgery that is used to treat peritoneal malignancy. CRS is associated with major morbidity and efforts to address this include optimisation of perioperative care. There is variation in international protocols on the nutritional management after CRS, in particular whether parenteral nutrition (PN) should be routinely or selectively administered.

HYPOTHESIS/AIM

This study assessed parenteral nutrition use, factors associated with PN requirement and nutritional outcomes in a centre that selectively uses PN after CRS.

METHODS/INTERVENTIONS

A retrospective analysis was undertaken on patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery ± hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre between 1st January 2015 and 31st December 2020 using data entered into a prospectively maintained database. Patient characteristics, nutritional status, oncological parameters, operative details and postoperative outcome data were retrieved. Categorical variables were compared using the chi-squared test and continuous data was compared using a non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of requiring PN and postoperative weight change over admission.

RESULTS

A total of 222 patients who had CRS between were included (mean age 56 years; female 61.3%). Preoperative nutritional characteristics of participants included a mean body mass index (BMI) of 27.6 kg/m2 and the majority (77.9%) were not at nutritional risk pre-operatively with a Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) score of category A. A high proportion of patients had surgery for colonic adenocarcinoma (58.1%), received HIPEC (87.4%) and achieved complete cytoreduction (82%). Postoperative parenteral nutrition was required for 65 patients (29.3%). The most frequent indication for PN was postoperative ileus (63.1%) with the mean (SD) time to commencing PN being postoperative day 5. Factors associated with the requirement for postoperative PN included preoperative albumin (OR 0.89; p = 0.015), weight loss >5% of body weight in the 6 months prior to admission (OR 2.2; p = 0.05), higher PCI score (OR 1.048; p = 0.005), number of anastomoses completed (OR 1.766; p = 0.017) and development of any postoperative complication (OR 2.71; p = 0.009). PN use was not associated with postoperative weight change.

CONCLUSION

Most patients undergoing CRS did not require post-operative PN. Nutritional and operative factors may identify patients who are likely to need PN after surgery. Selective use of PN did not impact on postoperative weight change.

Enhanced Recovery in Gynecologic Oncology Surgery-State of the Science

PURPOSEOF REVIEW

The purpose of this review is to describe the state of the science of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in gynecologic oncology.

RECENT FINDINGS

Over the last 5 years, there is mounting evidence supporting ERAS in gynecologic oncology surgery. Despite this, surveys have found suboptimal uptake of ERAS, and stakeholders have highlighted the difficulty of ERAS implementation as a major barrier. To address this, the core components required for a successful ERAS implementation program (protocol, ERAS team, audit system) are reviewed. ERAS developments specific to gynecologic oncology are also discussed, including same-day discharge initiatives for minimally invasive surgery, implications of telemedicine, and methods to increase uptake of ERAS in low- and middle-income countries. ERAS is a surgical quality improvement program with strong evidence supporting its effectiveness in gynecologic oncology. Efforts are required to address ERAS implementation barriers to increase uptake globally, especially in low-income settings.

Multidisciplinary expert panel report on fluid stewardship: perspectives and practice

Although effective and appropriate fluid management is a critical aspect of quality care during hospitalization, the widespread adoption of consistent policies that ensure adequate fluid stewardship has been slow and heterogenous. Despite evidence-based guidelines on fluid management being available, clinical opinions continue to diverge on important aspects of care in this setting, and the consistency of guideline implementation is far from ideal. A multidisciplinary panel of leading practitioners and experts convened to discuss best practices for ongoing staff education, intravenous fluid therapy, new training technologies, and strategies to track the success of institutional fluid stewardship efforts. Fluid leads should be identified in every hospital to ensure consistency in fluid administration and monitoring. In this article, strategies to communicate the importance of effective fluid stewardship for the purposes of education, training, institutional support, and improvement of patient outcomes are reviewed and recommendations are summarized.

Anesthesia management and outcomes of gynecologic oncology surgery

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed postoperative mortality, morbidity, and complications associated with anesthesia administration for gynecologic oncology abdominal surgery and investigated the risk factors for the development of these complications.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study analyzing the data of patients who underwent elective gynecologic oncology surgery between 2010 and 2017. The demographic data; comorbidities; preoperative anemia; Charlson Comorbidity Index; anesthesia management; complications; preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods; mortality; and morbidity were investigated. The patients were classified as surviving or deceased. Subgroup analyses of patients with endometrial, ovarian, cervical, and other cancers were performed.

RESULTS

We analyzed 416 patients; 325 survived and 91 were deceased. The postoperative chemotherapy rates (p < 0.001), and postoperative blood transfusion rates (p = 0.010) were significantly higher in the deceased group, while the preoperative albumin levels were significantly lower in the deceased group (p < 0.001). Infused colloid amount was higher in the deceased group of endometrial (p = 0.018) and ovarian cancers (p = 0.017).

CONCLUSIONS

Perioperative patient management for cancer surgery requires a multidisciplinary approach led by an anesthesiologist and surgeon. Any improvement in the duration of hospital stay, morbidity, or recovery rate depends on the success of the multidisciplinary team.

Application of single-port procedure and ERAS management in the laparoscopic myomectomy

OBJECTIVE

Advances in surgical techniques and perioperative management are the two major contributing factors to improved surgical outcomes. The purpose of the current study was to compare the efficacy of single-port surgery and perioperative enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) management in laparoscopic myomectomy.

METHODS

The present study included 120 patients undergoing laparoscopic myomectomy in the Gynecological Ward of Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. According to the traditional perioperative management mode and ERAS management, multi-port and single-port procedures, all patients were assigned to the Conventional-SPLS (Single-Port Laparoscopic Surgery with conventional perioperative care) group (n = 34), Conventional-Multi (multi-port laparoscopic surgery with conventional perioperative care) group (n = 47), and ERAS (multi-port laparoscopic surgery with ERAS perioperative care) group (n = 39). The surgical outcomes of the three groups were compared operation time, intraoperative blood loss, variations in postoperative hemoglobin, postoperative walking time, postoperative flatus expelling time, postoperative hospital stay, and visual analog scale (VAS) scores at 6 and 12 h following surgery.

RESULTS

The ERAS group recovered the quickest in terms of postoperative walking time and flatus expelling duration. The ERAS group also recovered the shortest postoperative hospital stay (3.85 ± 1.14 days), which differed significantly from that in the Conventional-Multi group, but not significantly from that in the Conventional-SPLS group. In terms of VAS scores at 6 and 12 h after surgery, the ERAS group had the lowest pain intensity, which differed significantly from that of the other two groups. The effect of surgical procedures or postoperative care on hospital stay was assessed using multiple regression analysis. The results demonstrated that ERAS was an important independent contributor to reducing postoperative hospital stay (β = 0.270, p = 0.002), while single-port surgery did not affect this index (β = 0.107, p = 0.278).

CONCLUSION

In laparoscopic myomectomy, perioperative ERAS management could control postoperative pain and shorten hospital stay. Single-port surgery could speed up the recovery of gastrointestinal function and postoperative walking time, but it did not affect postoperative pain management or the length of hospital stay. Thus, the most effective approach to improving postoperative outcomes in laparoscopic myomectomy was the application of perioperative ERAS management.

Qualitative results from a randomized pilot study of eHealth Mindful Movement and Breathing to improve gynecologic cancer surgery outcomes

PURPOSE

Improved management of pain and co-morbid symptoms (sleep disturbances, psychological distress) among women undergoing surgery for suspected gynecologic malignancies may reach a population vulnerable to chronic pain.

PARTICIPANTS

Women undergoing surgery for a suspected gynecologic malignancy.

METHOD

We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial of eHealth Mindful Movement and Breathing (eMMB) compared to an empathic attention control (AC). Semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone (n = 23), recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

FINDINGS

Participants reported overall high acceptability such that all would recommend the study to others. Positive impacts of practicing eMMB included that it relieved tension, facilitated falling asleep, and decreased pain. Participants also reported high adherence to self-directed eMMB and AC writing practices and described facilitators and barriers to practicing.

CONCLUSIONS

This qualitative feedback will inform future research to assess the efficacy of eMMB for reducing pain and use of remotely-delivered interventions more broadly.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03681405.

The EUPEMEN (EUropean PErioperative MEdical Networking) Protocol for Bowel Obstruction: Recommendations for Perioperative Care

Mechanical bowel obstruction is a common symptom for admission to emergency services, diagnosed annually in more than 300,000 patients in the States, from whom 51% will undergo emergency laparotomy. This condition is associated with serious morbidity and mortality, but it also causes a high financial burden due to long hospital stay. The EUPEMEN project aims to incorporate the expertise and clinical experience of national clinical specialists into development of perioperative rehabilitation protocols. Providing special recommendations for all aspects of patient perioperative care and the participation of diverse specialists, the EUPEMEN protocol for bowel obstruction, as presented in the current paper, aims to provide faster postoperative recovery and reduce length of hospital stay, postoperative morbidity and mortality rate.

The prevalence of hyperglycemia and its association with perioperative outcomes in gynecologic surgery: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Preoperative hyperglycemia has been associated with perioperative morbidity in general surgery patients. Additionally, preoperative hyperglycemia may indicate underlying impaired glucose metabolism. Thus, identification of preoperative hyperglycemia may provide an opportunity to mitigate both short-term surgical and long-term health risk. We aimed to study this phenomenon specifically in the gynecologic surgery population. Specifically, we aimed to evaluate the association between preoperative hyperglycemia and perioperative complications in gynecologic surgery patients and to characterize adherence to diabetes screening guidelines.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included 913 women undergoing major gynecologic surgery on an enhanced recovery pathway from January 2018 to July 2019. The main exposure was day of surgery glucose ≥ 140 g/dL. Multivariate regression identified risk factors for hyperglycemia and composite and wound-specific complications.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven (7.3%) patients were hyperglycemic. Diabetes (aOR 24.0, 95% CI 12.3-46.9, P < .001) and malignancy (aOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2-4.5, P = .01) were associated with hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia was not associated with increased odds of composite perioperative (aOR 1.3, 95% CI 0.7-2.4, P = 0.49) or wound-specific complications (aOR 1.1, 95% CI 0.7-1.5, P = 0.76). Of nondiabetic patients, 391/779 (50%) met the USPSTF criteria for diabetes screening; 117 (30%) had documented screening in the preceding 3 years. Of the 274 unscreened patients, 94 (34%) had day of surgery glucose levels suggestive of impaired glucose metabolism (glucose ≥ 100 g/dL).

CONCLUSION

In our study cohort, the prevalence of hyperglycemia was low and was not associated with higher risk of composite or wound-specific complications. However, adherence to diabetes screening guidelines was poor. Future studies should aim to develop a preoperative blood glucose testing strategy that balances the low utility of universal glucose screening with the benefit of diagnosing impaired glucose metabolism in at-risk individuals.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols in Obese Gynecological Oncology Patients: A Single-Center Experience

Objective The aim of this study is to present our experience and evaluate the safety and outcomes of the implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols in obese patients who underwent surgery for suspected or confirmed gynecological malignancies. Method From January 2020 to September 2021, 217 patients underwent laparotomy for a confirmed or suspected gynecological malignancy following a 19-element ERAS pathway. The patients were divided into two groups: obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m², n = 104) and non-obese (BMI < 30, n = 113). Both groups were treated with a 19-element ERAS protocol. Results After dividing the 217 patients into two groups, significantly more comorbidities were observed in the obese group (diabetes mellitus: 23% vs. 8%, p = 0.004; ASA score grade 3: 25.0% vs. 6.2%, p < 0.001), as well as higher rates of endometrial cancer (51.9% vs. 17.7%, p < 0.001) compared to the non-obese group. The overall ERAS compliance rates when matched element by element were similar. Postoperatively, complication rates of all grades were significantly higher in the obese group (46.1% vs. 27.4%, p < 0.001) without differences in the length of stay, readmission, and reoperation rates. Conclusion In this retrospective study, we showed that obese gynecological oncology patients can be safely managed with ERAS protocols perioperatively while potentially minimizing the adverse outcomes in these otherwise high-risk patients.

Evaluation of Peri-Operative Management in Women with Deep Endometriosis Who are Candidates for Bowel Surgery: A Survey from the Italian Society of Gynecologic Endoscopy

STUDY OBJECTIVE

There is great consensus that the implementation of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) approach is beneficial for surgical patients, but there is a paucity of data concerning its application in women with deep endometriosis (DE) who are candidates for bowel surgery. The survey described herein was aimed at gathering detailed information on perioperative management of DE patients who were undergoing sigmoid/rectal (discoid or segmental) resection within the Italian Society of Gynecologic Endoscopy (SEGI) group.

DESIGN

Baseline survey.

SETTING

National survey conducted within the main Italian cooperative group in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery (SEGI).

PATIENTS

The study did not involve patients.

INTERVENTIONS

A 63-item questionnaire covering ERAS items for gynecologic/elective colorectal surgery was sent to SEGI centers. Only questionnaires from centers that reported performing ≥10 sigmoid/rectal resections per year were considered for this analysis.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Thirty-three of 38 (86.8%) of the questionnaires were analyzed. The rates of concordance with the ERAS guidelines were 40.4%, 64.4%, and 62.6% for preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative items, respectively. The proportion of overall agreement was 56.6%. Preoperative diet, fasting and bowel preparation, correction of anemia, avoidance of peritoneal drains, postoperative feeding, and early mobilization were the most controversial items. Comparative analysis revealed that the referred rates of complete disease removal and conversion to open surgery were significantly different depending on case volume (p = .044 and p = .003, respectively) and gynecologist's/surgeon's experience (p = .042 and p = .022, respectively), with higher chances of obtaining a complete laparoscopic/robotic excision of endometriosis in centers that reported ≥30 DE surgeries performed per year and/or ≥90% of bowel resections performed by a gynecologist/general surgeon specifically dedicated to DE management. In contrast, the rates of concordance with the ERAS guidelines were not significantly different according to case volume (p = .081) or gynecologist's/surgeon's experience (p = .294).

CONCLUSION

This is the first study on DE conducted on a national scale. The current survey results revealed suboptimal compliance with the ERAS recommendations and underline the need to improve the quality of perioperative care in DE patients undergoing sigmoid/rectal resection. This study is a first step toward building a consistent, structured reporting platform for the SEGI units and facilitating wide implementation and standardization of the ERAS protocol for DE patients in Italy.

Hypotension Prediction Index guided Goal Directed therapy and the amount of Hypotension during Major Gynaecologic Oncologic Surgery: a Randomized Controlled clinical Trial

Intraoperative hypotension (IOH) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Hypotension Prediction Index (HPI) is a machine learning derived algorithm that predicts IOH shortly before it occurs. We tested the hypothesis that the application of the HPI in combination with a pre-defined Goal Directed Therapy (GDT) hemodynamic protocol reduces IOH during major gynaecologic oncologic surgery. We enrolled women scheduled for major gynaecologic oncologic surgery under general anesthesia with invasive arterial pressure monitoring. Patients were randomized to a GDT protocol aimed at optimizing stroke volume index (SVI) or hemodynamic management based on HPI guidance in addition to GDT. The primary outcome was the amount of IOH, defined as the timeweighted average (TWA) mean arterial pressure (MAP) < 65 mmHg. Secondary outcome was the TWA-MAP < 65 mmHg during the first 20 min after induction of GA. After exclusion of 10 patients the final analysis included 60 patients (30 in each group). The median (25-75th IQR) TWA-MAP < 65 mmHg was 0.14 (0.04-0.66) mmHg in HPI group versus 0.77 (0.36-1.30) mmHg in Control group, P < 0.001. During the first 20 min after induction of GA, the median TWA-MAP < 65 mmHg was 0.53 (0.06-1.8) mmHg in the HPI group and 2.15 (0.65-4.2) mmHg in the Control group, P = 0.001. Compared to a GDT protocol aimed to SVI optimization, a machine learning-derived algorithm for prediction of IOH combined with a GDT hemodynamic protocol, reduced IOH and hypotension after induction of general anesthesia in patients undergoing major gynaecologic oncologic surgery.Trial registration number: NCT04547491. Date of registration: 10/09/2020.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS®) society guidelines for gynecologic oncology: Addressing implementation challenges - 2023 update

BACKGROUND

Despite evidence supporting its use, many Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) recommendations remain poorly adhered to and barriers to ERAS implementation persist. In this second updated ERAS® Society guideline, a consensus for optimal perioperative care in gynecologic oncology surgery is presented, with a specific emphasis on implementation challenges.

METHODS

Based on the gaps identified by clinician stakeholder groups, nine implementation challenge topics were prioritized for review. A database search of publications using Embase and PubMed was performed (2018-2023). Studies on each topic were selected with emphasis on meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and large prospective cohort studies. These studies were then reviewed and graded by an international panel according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system.

RESULTS

All recommendations on ERAS implementation challenge topics are based on best available evidence. The level of evidence for each item is presented accordingly.

CONCLUSIONS

The updated evidence base and recommendations for stakeholder derived ERAS implementation challenges in gynecologic oncology are presented by the ERAS® Society in this consensus review.

Enhanced Recovery after Cesarean Section (ERAC): Where are We in Austria?

OBJECTIVE

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) recommendations for cesarean section (ERAC), likely the most common reason for laparotomy in women, were issued in 2018-19. We examined how current perioperative management at cesarean section in Austrian hospitals aligns with ERAS recommendations.

STUDY DESIGN

We surveyed the 21 largest public obstetric units in Austria for alignment with 20 of the 31 strong ERAS recommendations regarding perioperative maternal care at cesarean section. We also looked at how the German-language clinical guideline for cesarean section (AWMF Guideline Sectio caesarea) aligns with ERAS recommendations.

RESULTS

The 21 obstetric units cared for about 51% of all births in Austria in 2019. Cesarean section rates ranged from 17.7% to 50.4%. All 21 units implemented the five strong recommendations regarding patient information and counselling, regional anesthesia, euvolemia and multimodal analgesia. The least implemented strong recommendation was the one for the use of pneumatic compression stockings to prevent thromboembolic disease (0/21 units). Overall, all 21 units implemented ≥11 and 13 (62%) implemented ≥15 (≥75%) of the 20 strong recommendations; no unit implemented all 20 strong recommendations. There were no differences in the implementation of strong recommendations according to hospital volume.

CONCLUSIONS

Even in the absence of formal adoption of ERAS program for cesarean section many perioperative ERAS recommendations are already implemented in Austria. The least implemented recommendations were the use of pneumatic compression stockings (0 of 21 units) and immediate catheter removal (4 of 21 units). Only 10 of the 20 ERAS recommendations we looked at are included in the current German-language clinical guideline for cesarean section.

Laryngeal mask general anaesthesia versus spinal anaesthesia for promoting early recovery of cervical conisation: A randomised, controlled clinical study

Background

Although both spinal and general anaesthesia provides good anaesthesia for cervical conization, spinal anaesthesia delays the return of lower limb movements and urinary function, whereas general anaesthesia requires the patient to be unconscious. It is unclear which anaesthetic technique is more conducive to early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing cervical conization.

Patients and methods

140 patients undergoing cervical conization underwent either laryngeal mask general anaesthesia (LMA, n = 70) or spinal anaesthesia (SA, n = 70). In the LMA group, an i-gel mask was used for airway management. In the SA group, spinal anaesthesia was received with 0.75% ropivacaine (15 mg) in the L3-4 interval. The quality of recovery score (QoR-15) was the primary endpoint of the study. Secondary endpoints included incidence of adverse 24-h analgesia (NRS>3); return of lower limb activity; first bed activity and feeding; and the number of catheters removed at 6, 12 and 24 h postoperatively.

Result

The LMA group significantly improved QoR-15 scores (136.62 ± 11.02 vs 119.97 ± 12.75; P < 0.001); and reduced the incidence of poor analgesia (NRS >3) within 24 h postoperatively (20% vs 42.8%, P = 0.006); reduced time in bed (15.62 ± 3.83 h vs 18.27 ± 5.57 vs, P = 0.001); improved patient satisfaction (86% vs 27%; P < 0.001); and catheters removal within 24 h (70/70 vs 42/70, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

LMA general anaesthesia can facilitate early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing cervical conization compared with conventional spinal anaesthesia.

Trial registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ID: ChiCTR1800019384), http://www.chictr.org.cn/listbycreater.aspx (08/11/2018).

Comparison of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) metrics by race among gynecologic oncology patients: Ensuring equitable outcomes

OBJECTIVES

Race and ethnicity are not routinely audited in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways. Given known racial disparities in outcomes in gynecologic oncology, the purpose of this study was to compare differences in ERAS implementation and outcomes by race.

METHODS

A cohort study was performed among gynecologic oncology patients enrolled in an ERAS pathway at one academic institution from March 2017 to December 2021. Compliance with ERAS metrics, postoperative complications, 30-day survival, reoperations, intensive care unit (ICU) transfers, and readmissions within 30 days were compared by race.

RESULTS

Of 1083 patients (17.0% non-white), non-white women were younger (54.2 years ±13.1 vs. 60.7 years ±13.6, p < 0.001) and proportionally fewer spoke English (75.0% vs. 97.8%, p < 0.001). Fewer non-white women received preadmission ERAS education (73.4% vs. 79.9%, p = 0.05). There were no differences in ERAS implementation by race, including similar rates of preoperative nutritional assessment, carbohydrate loading, antibiotic and thrombosis prophylaxis, and unplanned surgeries by race. There were no differences in complications, reoperations, ICU transfers, or readmissions by race on univariate and multivariate analysis. Four non-white (2.2%) and two white women (0.2%, p = 0.009) died within 30 days of surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Fewer non-white women received preadmission education, possibly due to language barriers. ERAS compliance, postoperative complications, readmissions, reoperations, and ICU transfers did not differ by race. There were two additional deaths within 30 days postoperatively among non-white women compared to white women - which is difficult to interpret given the rarity of perioperative mortality - but appeared unlikely to be related to differences in ERAS protocol implementation. ERAS programs should ensure educational materials are translated into various languages and audit metrics by race to ensure equitable outcomes.

Provider compliance with a tailored opioid prescribing calculator in gynecologic surgery

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact a tailored opioid prescription calculator has on meeting individual patient opioid needs while avoiding opioid over prescriptions.

METHODS

Our group previously developed and published an opioid prescribing calculator incorporating patient risk factors (history of depression, anxiety, chronic opioid use, substance abuse disorder, and/or chronic pain) and type of surgery (laparotomy or laparoscopy). This calculator was implemented on 1/1/2021 and its impact on opioid prescriptions was evaluated until 12/31/21. The primary outcome of the present study is to determine prescriber compliance with the calculator (defined as not overprescribing from the number of pills indicated by the calculator). The secondary outcome is to determine the excess prescription rate (defined as proportion of patients reporting more than 3 pills remaining at 30 days post-surgery). Refill rates and pain related patient phone calls were collected. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the cohort.

RESULTS

Of the 355 patients included, 54.7% (N = 194) underwent laparoscopy and 45.4% (N = 161) underwent laparotomy. One hundred and forty-two patients (40%) had at least one risk factor for opioid usage. The median number of opioid pills prescribed following laparoscopy was 3 (range 0-15) and 6 (0-20) after laparotomy. The prescriber compliance was 88.2% and the excess prescription rate was 25.1% (N = 89 patients).

CONCLUSIONS

Our tailored opioid calculator has a high prescriber compliance. Implementation of this calculator led to a standardization of tailored opioid prescribing, while limiting the number of over prescriptions. A free web version of the calculator can be easily accessed at www.opioidcalculator.org.

RACCE Study: Impact of an enhanced recovery after surgery program (ERAS) in the management of endometrial cancer: A single-center retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluates the implementation of an ERAS program in the gynecological surgery department of Caen University Hospital and its impact on the management of endometrial cancer. The objective was to show its impact on the length of hospitalization of patients before and after its implementation.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

We conducted a retrospective study including all women treated surgically for endometrial cancer at Caen University Hospital between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2021. The ERAS program started in September 2017. We compared the pre-, intra- and postoperative characteristics of two groups: the first one concerning the period before the implementation of ERAS called « prior ERAS group » and the second one after implementation called « post ERAS group ».

RESULTS

A total of 198 patients were included in our study. 139 patients were included after ERAS implementation. Our study shows that there is a significant reduction in median length of stay between the post ERAS and prior ERAS groups respectively 3 and 4 days (p = 0.004). There was also a reduction of time to resume ambulation (p < 0.001) and re-feeding (p < 0.001) for the post ERAS group compared to the prior ERAS group. Complication rates (p = 0.87) and readmission rates (p = 0.28) were not significant. Overall survival was not significant (p = 0.28).

CONCLUSION

ERAS is a safe and effective method in the overall management of patients allowing an improvement in the quality of patient care and accelerating recovery to a previous physiological state. Finally, this results in a reduction in the patient's length of stay, without impacting morbidity and readmission rate.

Safety and feasibility of same-day discharge following minimally invasive hysterectomy in the morbidly obese patient population

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether morbid obesity should serve as an independent factor in the decision for same day discharge following minimally invasive hysterectomy.

METHODS

Retrospective review was performed of patients with BMI ≥ 40 who underwent minimally invasive hysterectomy within a single comprehensive cancer center between January 2018 - August 2020. Demographics, perioperative factors, post-operative monitoring, complications, and readmissions were compared between patients who underwent same day discharge and overnight observation using Fisher's exact tests and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.

RESULTS

374 patients with BMI ≥ 40 were included. Eighty-three (22.2%) patients underwent same day discharge, and 291 (77.8%) patients underwent overnight observation. Factors associated with increased likelihood of same day discharge included younger age (median age 53 vs 58; p = 0.001), lower BMI (median BMI 45 vs 47; p = 0.005), and fewer medical co-morbidities (Charlson Co-Morbidity Index 2 vs 3; p < 0.001). On multivariate regression analysis, frailty (OR 2.16 [1.14-4.11], p = 0.019) and surgical completion time after 12 PM (OR 3.67 [2.16-6.24], p < 0.001) were associated with increased risk of overnight observation. Few patients admitted for routine overnight observation required medical intervention (n = 14, 4.8%); most of these patients were frail (64.3%). The overall hospital readmission rate within 30 days of discharge was 3.2% (n = 12), with no patients discharged on the day of surgery being readmitted.

CONCLUSIONS

Morbid obesity alone should not serve as a contraindication to same day discharge following minimally invasive hysterectomy. Admission for observation was associated with low rates of clinically meaningful intervention, and patients who underwent same day discharge were not at increased risk of adverse outcome.

Application of ERAS protocols in esophagogastric emergency surgery: is it feasible and does it make sense?

Management and treatment of esophagogastric diseases have been evolving in terms of multimodal approach and quality of care. The recent introduction of standardized perioperative protocols has represented the opportunity to homogenize the multiple factors enhancing patients' recovery after surgery worldwide. A further optimization would lead to the extension of the ERAS program to upper GI emergencies. This review provides a comprehensive collection of scientific basis, current supporting evidence, and potential applicative limitations.

Prevention of Postoperative Constipation in Urogynecology Patients: A Systematic Review

IMPORTANCE

Constipation is common after pelvic surgery, and studies suggest that surgeons underestimate the negative impact of constipation on patients. Patients undergoing pelvic reconstructive surgery are a unique population requiring special consideration in the prevention and management of constipation.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to systematically review the literature to identify evidence for prevention of postoperative constipation with medications or fiber in patients undergoing reconstructive pelvic surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

A structured literature search was performed of five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library) from inception to June 2022 for studies of postoperative laxative or fiber use in adult patients undergoing benign pelvic reconstructive surgery. Studies of preoperative bowel preparation and nonsurgical patients were excluded. Data on postoperative constipation were extracted for a qualitative analysis of the literature. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology was applied to assess the quality of evidence.

RESULTS

We identified 86 references after deduplication. Only 4 studies with a total of 344 patients were eligible for inclusion in the review. The included studies were all randomized controlled trials assessing time to first bowel movement with the earliest published in 2010. Laxative use decreased constipation more than placebo. Multiple-agent laxative use appeared to decrease bothersome constipation more than single-agent docusate. Preoperative fiber did not decrease constipation. By Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria, all four studies provide moderate-quality evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Few studies have investigated laxative regimens in patients after urogynecologic surgery. The available literature is moderate quality and suggests benefit of multiple-agent treatment over docusate only or no treatment.

Impact of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program in gynecologic oncology and patient satisfaction

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this study was to compare lengths of stay since ERAS program implementation. We also evaluated ERAS protocol compliance, compared the outpatient rate, the complication rate and the readmission rate within 30 days after surgery and performed a satisfaction study.

METHODS

This is a monocentric comparative study with a historical control group, performed in the gynecological surgery department of the University Hospital of Saint-Etienne. We compared a group of patients who underwent surgery in 2016, before the implementation of ERAS program, with a group of patients who underwent surgery from July 2021 to July 2022, for whom ERAS program was applied.

RESULTS

187 patients were included in this study, including 84 patients in the historical group before ERAS and 103 in the group with ERAS. Considering all approaches, the average length of stay decreased by 2 days (p<0.0001). Considering minimally invasive surgery, the outpatient rate increased from 5% to 50% (p<0.0001) and complication rate decreased from 23 to 11% (p = 0,04). The readmissions rate was similar. Satisfaction score for patients managed with ERAS program was 8.9/10.

CONCLUSION

The implementation of ERAS program in gynecological oncology surgery allowed a reduction in length of stay, with a high outpatient rate, decreasing complications in case of minimally invasive surgery, without increasing the readmission rate, and was associated with good patient satisfaction.

Perioperative Pain Management With Opioid Analgesics in Colpopexy Increases Risk of New Persistent Opioid Usage

IMPORTANCE

Although the use of perioperative pain medications is highly investigated, limited studies have examined the usage of pain medication for post hysterectomy prolapse repair and the few that have have been restricted to smaller sample sizes.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to assess the association of perioperative opioid usage after posthysterectomy prolapse repairs with development of new persistent opioid usage.

STUDY DESIGN

The TriNetX Diamond Research Network was queried to create our cohorts of opioid-naive adult women with vaginal repair or laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. The primary study outcomes were (1) the rate of perioperative opioid usage and (2) development of new persistent opioid usage. All cohorts were matched on age, race, ethnicity, chronic kidney disease, hypertensive diseases, ischemic heart disease, diseases of the liver, obstructive sleep apnea, affective mood disorders, pelvic and perineal pain, obesity, tobacco use, and utilization of office/outpatient, inpatient, or emergency department services.

RESULTS

We identified 10,414 opioid-naive women who underwent laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy and 13,305 opioid-naive women who underwent vaginal reconstruction. Rates of perioperative opioid usage were higher after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. Rates of developing new opioid usage were higher in both surgical-approach populations that received perioperative opioids compared with those that did not. Rates of new and persistent opioid usage did not differ by surgical approach when stratified by perioperative opioid usage.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified that opioid dependence may occur after surgery if patients are given opioids within 7 days of either approach, associating opioid dependence with perioperative opioid usage rather than the approach taken.

The impact of gum-chewing on postoperative ileus following gynecological cancer surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective

To assess the effect and safety of gum-chewing on the prevention of postoperative ileus after gynecological cancer surgery.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 2000 and 2022 in English and Chinese, using the EBSCO, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane database), PubMed, Medline (via Ovid), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database, and Wan Fang databases. A total of 837 studies were screened using Endnote software, and those that met the inclusion criteria were selected for analysis. The main outcome of interest was the incidence of postoperative ileus, and secondary outcomes included time to first flatus, time to first bowel movement, and length of hospital stay.

Results

Two authors extracted data and performed quality assessment independently. The review included six RCTs with a total of 669 patients. Compared with routine care, gum-chewing could significantly reduce the incidence of postoperative ileus (RR 0.46, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.72, P=0.0006), shorten the time to first flatus (WMD -9.58, 95% CI: -15.04, -4.12, P=0.0006), first bowel movement (WMD -11.31, 95% CI: -21.05, -1.56, P=0.02), and the length of hospital stay (WMD -1.53, 95% CI: -2.08, -0.98, P<0.00001).

Conclusions

Gum-chewing is associated with early recovery of gastrointestinal function after gynecological cancer surgery and may be an effective and harmless intervention to prevent postoperative ileus.

Systemaic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#searchadvanced, identifier CRD42022384346.

Effect of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol on Postoperative Outcomes of Women Undergoing Abdominal Hysterectomy

Background

Enhanced recovery after surgery protocol is a standardized, multidisciplinary approach for shorter hospital stay without negatively affecting patient outcomes. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery protocol on postoperative outcomes of women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy.

Design

A quasi-experimental design was adopted to fulfil the aim of this research.

Setting

The research was conducted at Obstetric and Gynecological Department in Benha University Hospital.

Sample

A purposive sample of 148 women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy divided into two groups.

Data collection

Three tools were used: Tool (I) structured questionnaire sheet. Tool (II) post-operative pain assessment scale (numerical rating scale). Tool (III) post-operative outcomes assessment sheet.

Results

There was a highly statistically significant difference between the studied groups regarding all postoperative outcomes (p = .000). The women in the study group experienced less mean score of pain compared to those in control group on both 2nd and 3rd day after surgery. Also, there was a statistically significant difference between the studied groups regarding postoperative complication and readmission (p = .000).

Conclusion

Women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy who received enhanced recovery after surgery protocol had better postoperative outcomes than women who received routine perioperative care.

Evaluating outcomes of patient-centered enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in percutaneous nephrolithotomy for staghorn stones: An initial experience

Objective

To evaluate the outcomes of patient-centered enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in -percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for staghorn stones.

Patients and methods

A retrospective analysis of 106 patients with staghorn calculi who underwent PCNL treatment at the Third Xiangya Hospital from October 01, 2018 to September 30, 2021 was performed. The patients were divided into the ERAS group (n = 56) and traditional group (n = 50). The ERAS program focused on a patient-centered concept, with elaboration on aspects, such as patient education, nutritional support, analgesia, body warming, early mobilization, nephrostomy tube removal, and strict follow-up.

Results

The total stone free rate and total complication rate were similar in both groups. The visual analogue scale (VAS) 6 h after surgery, ambulation off bed time, indwelling fistula time, indwelling catheter time, and postoperative hospital stays were lower in the ERAS group than in the traditional group (P < 0.05). The multiple session rate in the ERAS group (19, 28.57%) was lower than that in the traditional group (30, 60%) (P = 0.007). The 1-year stone recurrence rate in the ERAS group (7, 17.5%) was lower than that in the traditional group (14, 38.9%) (P = 0.037).

Conclusion

The patient-centered ERAS in PCNL for staghorn stones accelerated rehabilitation by relieving postoperative pain, shortening hospitalization time, accelerating early ambulation, and reducing multiple session rate and 1-year stone recurrence rate, which have socioeconomic benefits.

European Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) gynecologic oncology survey: Status of ERAS protocol implementation across Europe

OBJECTIVE

To acquire a comprehensive assessment of the current status of implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols across Europe.

METHODS

The survey was launched by The European Network of Young Gynecologic Oncologists (ENYGO). A 45-item survey was disseminated online through the European Society of Gynecological Oncology (ESGO) Network database.

RESULTS

A total of 116 ESGO centers participated in the survey between December 2020 and June 2021. Overall, 80 (70%) centers reported that ERAS was implemented at their institution: 63% reported a length of stay (LOS) for advanced ovarian cancer surgery between 5 and 7 days; 57 (81%) centers reported a LOS between 2 and 4 days in patients who underwent an early-stage gynecologic cancer surgery. The ERAS items with high reported compliance (>75% "normally-always") included deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis (89%), antibiotic prophylaxis (79%), prevention of hypothermia (55%), and early mobilization (55%). The ERAS items that were poorly adhered to (less than 50%) included early removal of urinary catheter (33%), and avoidance of drains (25%).

CONCLUSION

This survey shows broad implementation of ERAS protocols across Europe; however, a wide variation in adherence to the various ERAS protocol items was reported.

Effect of nurse-led telephone follow-up on postoperative symptoms and analgesics consumption after benign hysterectomy: a randomized, single-blinded, four-arm, controlled multicenter trial

PURPOSE

The study aimed to determine if planned telephone follow-up, especially when adding structured, oriented coaching, reduces the intensity of postoperative symptoms and decreases analgesics consumption after benign hysterectomy.

METHODS

A randomized, single-blinded, four-armed, controlled multicenter trial of 525 women scheduled for hysterectomy was conducted in 5 hospitals in the southeast health region of Sweden. The women were allocated 1:1:1:1 into four follow-up models: (A) no telephone follow-up (control group); (B) one planned, structured, telephone follow-up the day after discharge; (C) as B but with additional telephone follow-up once weekly for 6 weeks; and (D) as C but with oriented coaching telephone follow-up on all occasions. Postoperative symptoms were assessed using the Swedish Postoperative Symptoms Questionnaire. Analgesic consumption was registered. Unplanned telephone contacts and visits were registered during the 6 weeks of follow-up.

RESULTS

In total, 487 women completed the study. Neither pain intensity, nor symptom sum score or analgesic consumption differed between the intervention groups. Altogether, 224 (46.0%) women had unplanned telephone contacts and 203 (41.7%) had unplanned visits. Independent of intervention, the women with unplanned telephone contacts had higher pain intensity and symptom sum scores, particularly if an unplanned telephone contact was followed by a visit, or an unplanned visit was preceded by an unplanned telephone contact.

CONCLUSION

Telephone follow-up did not seem to affect recovery regarding symptoms or analgesic consumption after benign hysterectomy in an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) setting. Unplanned telephone contacts and visits were associated with more postoperative symptoms, especially pain. Trial registration The study is registered in ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT01526668 retrospectively from January 27; 2012. Date of enrolment of first patient: October 11; 2011.

Enhanced recovery after gynecological surgery: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Enhanced recovery after surgery protocol is a multidisciplinary and multimodal approach designed to improve perioperative outcomes for patients. This meta-analysis aimed to identify and elaborate on the efficacy of this protocol in women undergoing gynecologic surgery. Four databases were searched for randomized controlled trials from inception to December 2021. A total of 14 studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. There was a significant reduction in the length of stay, the time to first flatus and first defecation, complications, and readmission rates in patients undergoing enhanced recovery after surgery when compared to routine care. The rate of discharge on the first postoperative day significantly increased in patients from the enhanced recovery group. There was no significant difference in the surgery time and blood loss. In conclusion, the enhanced recovery after surgery protocol might have a positive effect on patients undergoing gynecologic surgery. However, there is still heterogeneity between the included studies, and we need more research to draw reliable conclusions that enhanced recovery after surgery is favorable.