Published online Mar 27, 2024. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v16.i3.816
Peer-review started: January 12, 2024
First decision: January 31, 2024
Revised: February 9, 2024
Accepted: February 25, 2024
Article in press: February 25, 2024
Published online: March 27, 2024
Processing time: 70 Days and 7.3 Hours
Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol has shown to be beneficial to patients undergoing various abdominal surgeries, especially in the digestive tumor surgery. However, few studies have explored the application of ERAS in laparoscopic surgery for acute appendicitis.
To determine if ERAS is beneficial to patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for acute appendicitis.
This study aimed to evaluate the value of ERAS in laparoscopic surgery for acute appendicitis.
A prospective randomized controlled study was performed in Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital. A total of 120 patients who met the inclusion criteria and were diagnosed with acute appendicitis before surgery between March 2018 and March 2020 were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group using a random number table method. The clinicopathological features of the two groups were analyzed. In addition, variables including gastrointestinal function recovery time, hospitalization duration, hospitalization costs, and pain scores were also analyzed.
One hundred and twenty patients were included. There were 63 patients in the experimental group and 57 patients in the control group. There was no significant difference in age, gender, body mass index and Sunshine Appendicitis Grading System score between the two groups (P > 0.05). The application of ERAS resulted in accelerated recovery of acute appendicitis patients, shorter hospitalization stay, less hospitalization costs, earlier postoperative exhaust time, and milder pain.
The application of ERAS is associated with shorter hospitalization stay, less hospitalization costs, earlier postoperative exhaust time, and milder pain in the patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy due to acute appendicitis. It is safe, economical and effective.
The findings in this study can encourage surgeons to pay more attention to postoperative management measures for patients with acute appendicitis, and to apply the concept of ERAS to their postoperative recovery, thereby reducing the burden on patients and saving medical resources.