Journal of gastrointestinal surgery : official journal of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract
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J. Gastrointest. Surg. · Apr 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyA comparative study of 'fast-track' versus traditional peri-operative care protocols in gastrointestinal surgeries.
A 'fast-track protocol' in surgery suggests the application of evidence-based practices to expedite patient recovery. It has shown to reduce hospital stay, hasten recovery as well as facilitate earlier return to work. It has a considerable impact in reducing healthcare costs. The basic tenet is to treat the patient's disease by minimal disturbance of their physiology. The protocol encompasses pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative interventions which when carried out together would show maximal benefits. The surgeon is usually the leader of the team managing the patient, but it cannot be over-emphasised that this is a multi-disciplinary team approach. ⋯ The results have proved that implementing the fast-track protocol for gastrointestinal surgeries is not only safe and effective, but also improves patient outcome.