The Surgical clinics of North America
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Surg. Clin. North Am. · Dec 2018
ReviewEnhanced Recovery After Surgery and Its Effects on Patient Reported Outcomes.
Enhanced recovery programs were developed as a means for improving patient recovery after surgery with a multifaceted approach including several interventions in the perioperative period. There is now sufficient evidence in the literature that enhanced recovery programs have actually shortened hospital length of stay after colorectal surgery. Nonetheless, the impact of these successful programs on patient-reported outcomes like functional recovery and return to baseline quality of life is not known.
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Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways target specific areas within perioperative patient care in a multidisciplinary and evidence-based manner. Because of the subsequent positive outcomes associated with its use, ERAS has expanded to most surgical subspecialties, including hepatopancreatobiliary surgery. Although certain concepts are universal to all ERAS protocols, there are unique areas of emphasis pertaining to the hepatopancreatobiliary specialties, which will be highlighted throughout this article. In addition, some of the less frequently discussed aspects of enhanced recovery, including patient-reported outcomes, recovery assessment, cost, and auditing, will be addressed.
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Surg. Clin. North Am. · Dec 2018
ReviewEnhanced Recovery After Surgery: Implementation Strategies, Barriers and Facilitators.
Numerous reports have documented the effectiveness of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) pathways in improving recovery and decreasing morbidity and length of stay. However, there is also increasing evidence that ERAS® guidelines are difficult to adopt and require the commitment of all members of the perioperative team. Multiple barriers related to limited hospital resources (financial, staffing, space restrictions, and education), active or passive resistance from members of the perioperative team, and lack of data and/or education have been identified. Thus, ERAS® guidelines require a tailored implementation strategy to increase adherence.
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Acute diverticulitis is a common condition that has been increasing in incidence in the United States. It is associated with increasing age, but the pathophysiology of acute diverticulitis is still being elucidated. It is now believed to have a significant contribution from inflammatory processes rather than being a strictly infectious process. There are still many questions to be answered regarding the optimal management of acute diverticulitis because recent studies have challenged traditional practices, such as the routine use of antibiotics, surgical technique, and dietary restrictions for prevention of recurrence.
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Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), defined as intraluminal hemorrhage proximal to the ligament of Treitz, can range from mild and asymptomatic to massive life-threatening hemorrhage. For the purposes of this article, the authors define an acute UGIB to be one that results in new acute symptoms and is, therefore, potentially life-threatening. ⋯ Surgeon involvement in UGIBs remains integral despite the rare need for operative management. Endoscopy is the primary tool for diagnosis and treatment.