Naturalistic Evaluation of ERAS Bundle Implementation Feasibility in Elective Cesarean Deliveries of Tertiary Care Hospital in a Low-Middle-Income Country

Abstract

The present study assessed whether applying enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) guidelines for cesarean delivery is feasible in the tertiary care setting with an add-on objective to identify barriers to successful implementation. The cross-sectional study included women undergoing elective CS and willing to participate. The study attempted to understand barriers to ERAS implementation through timely interviewing study participants. Sixty-two patients participated in the study. Antenatal and fetal complications were observed in 39(63%) and 32(51%) participants. The study observed that at least 80% of the proposed components could be applied to 71% of the study population. All 15 components could be applied to 7(11.2%) patients, and at least 50% could be applied to 58(94%) patients. The least applied component was minimizing starvation by taking clear liquids until 2 hrs before surgery in 26(42%) patients due to waiting hours outside the operation-theater (OT). When fitness-for-discharge was assessed against the percent components of ERAS implemented, the area under the curve (AUC) value was 0.75, with a specificity value of 95.65% and a positive predictive value of 94.12%. In the postoperative ERAS bundle, fitness-for-discharge on day-two was statistically associated with early and frequent breastfeeding (p = 0.000) and prevention of intra-op hypotension (p = 0.03). In conclusion, the primary barriers to implementing ERAS were resource limitations in the form of single functional OT and limited doctors.