Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) in Thoracic Surgery

Abstract

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways are protocolled collections of perioperative decisions designed to improve outcomes that are becoming increasingly popular across surgical subspecialties. In this article, we review 5 recent manuscripts focused on ERAS for elective pulmonary resections, focusing on the components of the pathways and the resultant outcomes. Overall, we observed that ERAS protocols can be safely implemented without increasing hospital readmission or mortality. The benefit is largely seen in shortened length of stay, though there is some promise for decreasing rates of important perioperative complications, especially in patients receiving thoracotomies. More research is needed into the specific elements that impact care, as well as the effect on overall patient experience.

Keywords: enhanced recovery after surgery; perioperative management; pulmonary resection.