Feasibility and safety of an enhanced recovery protocol (ERP) for upper GI surgery in elderly patients (≥ 75 years) in a high-volume surgical center

Enhanced recovery protocols (ERP) have demonstrated their efficacy after esophagectomy and gastrectomy but little is known about their feasibility and safety in elderly patients. Patients submitted to Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy or gastrectomy for cancer between January 2016 and June 2019 were divided into three age groups: young-age group, YG (≤ 65 years, n = 130); middle-age group, MG (66–74 years, n = 101); old-age group, OG (≥ 75 years, n = 74). The groups were compared for adherence to our ERP, morbidity and mortality rates. After esophagectomy, adherence to ERP was comparable between the three groups, overall morbidity was higher in OG, without statistically significant difference, while the incidence of cardiac complications was significantly higher in OG (p = 0.02). After gastrectomy, OG presented a lower adherence to urinary catheter removal and to early mobilization. No difference in overall morbidity rate was observed (p = 0.13). The median length of stay was comparable both after esophagectomy (p = 0.075) and gastrectomy (p = 0.07). Multivariable analysis showed that age ≥ 75 years was not associated with a higher risk of ERP failure either after esophagectomy (p = 0.59) or after gastrectomy (p = 0.83). After esophagectomy, the risk of failure of the ERP program was higher for patients with ASA grade 3–4 (p = 0.03) and for those with postoperative complications (p < 0.001) while after gastrectomy only postoperative complications were associated to higher risk of ERP failure (p < 0.001). In our series, adherence to ERP protocol of patients  ≥ 75 years old was similar to that of younger patients after esophagectomy and gastrectomy, without a significant increase in morbi-mortality rates.