Guide to Enhanced Recovery for Cancer Patients Undergoing Liver Surgery

Excerpt

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS^®) protocols are evidence-based, multimodal strategies aimed at reducing the surgical stress response and a more rapid return to homeostasis that have revolutionized the perioperative care of surgical patients. These programs have resulted in a decrease in postoperative morbidity and complications, hospital length of stay (LOS), and costs in many disciplines. Hepatectomy is a major operation with potential for major morbidity and prolonged recovery. In fact, morbidity remains as high as 50% and mortality as high as 5% in contemporary series. Therefore, perioperative strategies aimed at reducing morbidity and earlier recovery, such as ERAS protocols, have been increasingly applied to liver surgery to improve outcomes. …