Prospective Study
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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 14, 2014; 20(46): 17578-17587
Published online Dec 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i46.17578
Introducing an enhanced recovery after surgery program in colorectal surgery: A single center experience
Stefano Bona, Mattia Molteni, Riccardo Rosati, Ugo Elmore, Pietro Bagnoli, Roberta Monzani, Monica Caravaca, Marco Montorsi
Stefano Bona, Mattia Molteni, Riccardo Rosati, Ugo Elmore, Pietro Bagnoli, Roberta Monzani, Monica Caravaca, Marco Montorsi, Department of General Surgery, University of Milan School of Medicine, Humanitas Research Hospital, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
Author contributions: Bona S, Molteni M, Monzani R and Montorsi M gave substantial contributions to conception and design of this study; Bona S, Molteni M, Rosati R, Elmore U, Bagnoli P gave substantial contribution to acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data pertaining surgery; Monzani R gave substantial contribution to acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data pertaining anesthesiology; Caravaca M gave substantial contribution to acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data collected by nursing staff; Molteni M and Bona S wrote the paper; Montorsi M revised it critically for important intellectual content, and gave final approval of the version to be published.
Correspondence to: Stefano Bona, MD, Department of General Surgery, University of Milan School of Medicine, Humanitas Research Hospital, 56 Via Manzoni, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy. stefano.bona@humanitas.it
Telephone: +39-2-82244508 Fax: +39-2-82244590
Received: February 28, 2014
Revised: June 12, 2014
Accepted: July 11, 2014
Published online: December 14, 2014
Processing time: 293 Days and 3.4 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Although enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol in colorectal surgery has been promoted as standard of care, its thorough application is still scarce, due to difficulties in overcoming cultural and organizational barriers that can undermine its start-up and diffusion. This study is focused on the prospective evaluation of compliance to a full-items ERAS protocol, through the progressive steps of its implementation at a large University Hospital from the “pilot study” phase to the current status of “standard of care”. Results achieved confirm that ERAS protocol implementation allows quicker postoperative recovery and shortens the hospitalization, compared to historical series, the higher is the compliance-rate.