Enhanced recovery pathways in colorectal surgery

Abstract

There are many components to successful outcomes in major surgery. Beyond sound technical skills, a growing focus has been placed on identifying factors that delay patient recovery. The development of fast-track or enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) began in the 1990s in Denmark, when Henrik Kehlet described protocols to expedite postoperative recovery. Since then, there has been increasing adoption of ERAS and continued research to accelerated patient recovery leading to decreased hospitalization length of stay, improved healthcare utilization, and improved patient outcomes. In this chapter, we detail the development and components of enhanced recovery pathways in three sections: preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care.