Enhanced Recovery After Surgery in Colorectal Surgery: A Large-Scale Quality Improvement Project

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery in Colorectal Surgery: A Large-Scale Quality Improvement Project

Multimodal perioperative care pathways have evolved into enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). ERAS pathways improve the quality of patient care, reduce morbidity, and shorten length of stay. This project will test the hypothesis that implementation of a multi-modal ERAS perioperative care protocol in colorectal surgical patients will result in significantly reduced perioperative morbidity and mortality.

Multimodal perioperative care pathways have evolved into enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). ERAS pathways improve the quality of patient care, reduce morbidity, and shorten length of stay. This large quality improvement project will compare outcomes after standard perioperative practice with those after the implementation of a multi-modal evidence based care pathway, including standardized preoperative preparation, perioperative goal-directed fluid therapy (GFDT), multi-modal perioperative pain management, post operative nausea and vomiting prevention, surgical care and bowel isolation, and surgical site infection prevention. This project will test the hypothesis that implementation of a multi-modal ERAS perioperative care protocol in colorectal surgical patients will result in significantly reduced perioperative morbidity and mortality.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All patients who underwent colorectal surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and whose data is stored in the perioperative data warehouse.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age <18 years
• Weight <40 kg