Introduction: The aim of study was to assess the impact of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol and minimally invasive approaches on short-term outcomes in rectal surgery.
Patients and methods: A consecutive series of patients that underwent open or minimally invasive rectal resections in a single institution between January 2015 and April 2020 were included in the study. An ERAS program was introduced in April 2016. The study cohort was divided into three groups: open surgery without ERAS, open surgery with ERAS, and minimally invasive surgery with ERAS. Outcome measures compared were recovery parameters, surgical stress parameters, 30-day morbidity and mortality, oncological radicality and length of hospital stay.
Results: A total of 202 patients were included: 43 in the open non-ERAS group, 92 in the open ERAS group and 67 in the minimally invasive ERAS group. All recovery parameters apart from postoperative nausea and vomiting were significantly improved in both ERAS groups. Surgical stress parameters, prolonged postoperative ileus, and hospital stay were significantly reduced in the minimally invasive ERAS group. The overall 30-day morbidity and mortality and oncological radicality did not significantly differ among the three groups.
Conclusions: Minimally invasive approaches and enhanced recovery care in rectal surgery improve short-term outcomes. Their combination leads to an improvement in recovery parameters and a reduction of prolonged postoperative ileus and hospital stay.
Keywords: Rectal cancer; enhanced recovery; laparoscopic surgery; outcome; robotic surgery.