Outcome of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) in pediatric population undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.

Abstract

Objective: To know the outcome of ERAS in pediatric population undergoing gastrointestinal surgical procedures in terms of time of bowel function recovery, postoperative intravenous nutrition time, total hospital stay and complication rate. Study Design: Randomized Controlled Trial. Setting: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Period: January 2022 to September 2022. Material & Methods: This study included children (n=89) who had pyloromyotomy, appendectomy, reduction of intussusception, resection of Meckel’s diverticulum and stoma closure in Surgical outcome was compared among children who underwent surgery using standard perioperative protocols (control group, n=46) and those in which ERAS protocols were followed (ERAS group, n=43). Results: In the ERAS group compared to the control group, the recovery times for bowel function (p <0.001), postoperative intravenous nutrition time (p <0.001) and postoperative hospital stay (p < 0.001) were all noticeably shorter than control group. There was no discernible intergroup variation in the complication rate. Conclusion: Our study shows that using ERAS protocols in paediatric gastrointestinal surgery results in less use of intravenous nutrition, shortened time of bowel function recovery and early discharge.