Enhanced recovery after elective spinal surgery: an Australian pilot study.

Content Provider	Europe PMC
Author	Pahwa, Anuj Gong, Houchen Li, Yingda
Copyright Year	2024
Abstract	BackgroundThe principles of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) aim to reduce the physiological stress of surgery which in turn improve clinical and health economic outcomes. There is ample evidence in literature supporting ERAS methodologies in other surgical specialties, but its adoption in spinal surgery, especially in Australia remains in infancy. The aim of this project is to describe the early experience with an evidence-based ERAS pathway for simple spine surgery, a first of its kind in Australia.MethodsAn ERAS protocol was designed using an evidenced-based review of the literature. The authors then conducted a prospective cohort analysis looking at outcome of patients undergoing elective spinal (lumbar and cervical) decompression surgery under ERAS principles by a single surgeon on the Westmead Hospital Campus between March 2021 to May 2023. Primary outcomes were patient length of stay (LOS), patient reported pain and disability scores and complications (including readmissions within 30 days and re-operation within 6 months). Secondary outcomes included predictors of failure for same-day discharge.ResultsA total of 52 patients underwent spinal decompression surgeries under the ERAS protocol. Overall 43 out of 52 patients (83.7%) were successfully discharged on the same day as their surgery. Patient reported outcomes were improved at 6 weeks and 6 months confirming durability of intervention. The rates of complications were similar to literature reported rates for simple lumbar or cervical decompression procedures and there were no readmissions within 30 days or re-operations within 6 months of surgery. Being of non-English speaking background [odds ratio (OR) =6.08, P=0.04] and from home alone (OR =10.25, P=0.03) were predictors of failure of same day discharge in this small cohort.ConclusionsImplementation of ERAS protocols for simple spinal decompression surgeries is feasible and produces durable improved patient outcomes while reducing LOS in hospitals. Patient social factors can be predictive of lack of compliance.
Related Links	https://europepmc.org/backend/ptpmcrender.fcgi?accid=PMC10982920&blobtype=pdf
ISSN	2414469X
Volume Number	10
DOI	10.21037/jss-23-115
PubMed Central reference number	PMC10982920
Issue Number	1
PubMed reference number	38567012
Journal	Journal of Spine Surgery [J Spine Surg]
e-ISSN	24144630
Language	English
Publisher	AME Publishing Company
Publisher Date	2024-01-16
Access Restriction	Open
Rights License	Open Access Statement: This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits the non-commercial replication and distribution of the article with the strict proviso that no changes or edits are made and the original work is properly cited (including links to both the formal publication through the relevant DOI and the license). See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0. 2024 Journal of Spine Surgery. All rights reserved.
Subject Keyword	Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) spine surgery clinical outcomes
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Surgery