Perioperative Practice Research Articles

An implementation manual for an interprofessional enhanced recovery after surgery protocol in cardiac surgery following international established frameworks.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols represent a paradigm shift in perioperative care, aim to optimize patient outcomes and accelerate recovery. This manual presents findings from implementing the INCREASE study, a bicentric prospective randomized controlled trial focusing on ERAS in minimally invasive heart valve surgery. Utilizing the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR), the study examined contextual factors, intervention components, and implementation strategies. Key findings from the CFIR analysis revealed critical domains influencing implementation success. These included innovation characteristics, external and internal settings, and individual dynamics. The study showcased ERAS's adaptability to diverse healthcare systems, emphasizing its potential for successful integration across varying contexts. Furthermore, the importance of interprofessional collaboration emerged as a foundation of practical implementation, fostering teamwork, communication, and patient-centered care. Utilizing the TIDieR framework, this manual comprehensively describes ERAS intervention components, detailing preoperative counseling, intraoperative management, and postoperative care strategies. The manual underscored the importance of tailored, patient-centered approaches, highlighting the role of an academic ERAS nurse, early mobilization, and psychosomatic interventions in promoting optimal recovery outcomes. In conclusion, the INCREASE study provided valuable insights for creating an implementation manual for ERAS in cardiac surgery, emphasizing adaptability, collaboration, and ongoing evaluation as key drivers of successful implementation. These findings have broad implications for improving patient care outcomes and advancing perioperative practices in cardiac surgery settings.

Chinese Expert Consensus on Perioperative Pulmonary Rehabilitation Training for Lung Cancer

Perioperative pulmonary rehabilitation may effectively reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications and improve the quality of life of lung cancer patients and its clinical application value in lung cancer patients has been widely recognized. However, there is still no international consensus or guideline for pulmonary rehabilitation regimen, lacking standardized criteria when pulmonary rehabilitation applied in perioperative clinical practice for lung cancer. The consensus provides implementation regimen and process of pulmonary rehabilitation, aiming to promote the reasonable and standardized application of perioperative pulmonary rehabilitation training in clinical practice, sequentially enable patients to maximize benefits from the rehabilitation. .

Visual Mapping of Operating Theater Team Dynamics and Communication for Reflexive Feedback and Surgical Practice Optimization.

Effective operating theater (OT) communication and teamwork are essential to optimal surgical outcomes. We mapped the OT team dynamics and infection control practices using visual methods to guide reflexive feedback and optimize perioperative practices. Data were gathered from adult gastrointestinal surgical teams at a tertiary hospital in India using observations, sociograms (communication mapping tool), and focus group discussions (FGDs). Our methods aimed to map team communication, roles and responsibilities in infection-related practices, and door openings. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Data were gathered from 10 surgical procedures (over 51 hours) using 16 sociograms, 15 traffic flow maps, and 3 FGDs. Senior surgeons directly influence team hierarchies, dynamics, and communication. While the surgeons, anesthetic residents, and technicians lead most tasks during procedures, the scrub nurse acts as a mediator coordinating activity among role players across hierarchies. Failing to provide the scrub nurse with complete details of the planned surgery leads to multiple door openings to fetch equipment and disposables. Traffic flow observed in 15-minute intervals corresponds to a mean frequency of 56 door openings per hour (min: 16; max: 108), with implications for infection control. Implementing the World Health Organization surgical safety checklist was inconsistent across pathways and does not match reported compliance data. Human factors research is important in optimizing surgical teamwork. Using visual methods to provide feedback to perioperative teams on their communication patterns and behaviors, provided an opportunity for contextualized enhancement of infection prevention and control practices.

Long-Term Sustainability of Peri-Operative Infection Control Practices: Implementation of "Clean Cut," a Checklist-Based Quality Improvement Program in India.

Introduction: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a substantial healthcare burden in low- and middle- income countries. "Clean Cut" is a checklist-based infection prevention and control (IPC) program intended to improve compliance to peri-operative IPC standards. We aim to study the short-term and long-term impact of its implementation in a tertiary care cancer referral center. Methods: This was a single institute, prospective interventional study. Patients undergoing elective head-neck surgical procedures were included. The "Clean Cut" program consisting of surveillance, audits, and IPC training was implemented for 6 months, after which there was no active oversight. Post-intervention (T2) and 1-year follow-up (T3) data regarding compliance to core IPC practices and SSI rates were compared with baseline (T1). Results: One hundred eighty six patients were included with 50 (26.9%), 86 (46.2%), and 50 (26.9%) patients at T1, T2, and T3, respectively. At baseline, teams complied with a mean of 3.56 of the six critical components of infection control processes which rose to 4.66 (p < 0.001) at T2, but decreased to 4.02 at T3 (p = 0.053). The SSI rate at baseline decreased significantly after Clean Cut implementation [16 (32%) vs. 12 (13.95%), p = 0.012], but returned to baseline levels after 1 year [17 (34%), p = 0.006]. Conclusion: Implementation of the "Clean Cut" program increases compliance to infection control processes and reduces SSI rates in the short term. Without continuing oversight, these rates return to baseline values after 1 year.

1090 A UK-Wide Audit on Peri-Operative Practices During Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation: Results from a Prospective National Transplant Access to Theatre (NTACT) Audit

1090 A UK-Wide Audit on Peri-Operative Practices During Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation: Results from a Prospective National Transplant Access to Theatre (NTACT) Audit

1092 Perioperative Practices and Early Post-Transplant Outcomes in Deceased Donor Simultaneous Kidney Pancreas Transplants (SPK): Results of a National Transplant Access to Theatre (NTACT) Audit

1092 Perioperative Practices and Early Post-Transplant Outcomes in Deceased Donor Simultaneous Kidney Pancreas Transplants (SPK): Results of a National Transplant Access to Theatre (NTACT) Audit

Effect of pharmacist care on clinical outcomes and therapy optimization in perioperative settings: A systematic review.

In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. Integration of pharmacists into the perioperative practice has the potential to improve patients' clinical outcomes. The aim of this systematic review is to systematically investigate the evidence on the roles of pharmacists in perioperative settings and the effects of pharmacist interventions on clinical outcomes and therapy optimization. A protocol-led (CRD42023460812) systematic review was conducted using search of PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and Google Scholar databases. Studies that investigated the roles and impact of pharmacist-led interventions in the perioperative settings on clinical outcomes were included. Data were extracted and quality assessed independently by two reviewers using the DEPICT-2 (Descriptive Elements of Pharmacist Intervention Characterization Tool) and the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool (CCAT), respectively. Studies were grouped according to the clinical area into 5 sections: (1) pain control and opioid consumption; (2) venous thromboembolism (VTE); (3) surgery-related gastrointestinal complications; (4) postoperative medication management; and (5) total parenteral nutritional. Nineteen studies involving a total of 7,168 patients were included; most studies were conducted in gastrointestinal (n = 7) and orthopedics (n = 6) surgical units. Most included studies (n = 14) employed a multicomponent intervention including pharmaceutical care, education, guideline development, drug information services, and recommendations formulation. The processes of developing the implemented interventions and their structures were seldom reported. Positive impacts of pharmacist intervention on clinical outcomes included significant improvement in pain control and reductions in the incidence of VTE, surgery-related stress ulcer, nausea, and vomiting. There is inconsistency in the findings related to medication management (ie, achieving desired therapeutic ranges) and management of chronic conditions (hypertension and type 2 diabetes). Whilst there is some evidence of positive impacts of pharmacist intervention on clinical outcomes and optimizing drug therapy, this evidence is generally of low quality and insufficient volume. While this review suggests that pharmacists have essential roles in improving the care of patients undergoing surgery, more research with rigorous designs is required.

Harnessing artificial intelligence for predicting and managing postoperative pain: a narrative literature review.

This review examines recent research on artificial intelligence focusing on machine learning (ML) models for predicting postoperative pain outcomes. We also identify technical, ethical, and practical hurdles that demand continued investigation and research. Current ML models leverage diverse datasets, algorithmic techniques, and validation methods to identify predictive biomarkers, risk factors, and phenotypic signatures associated with increased acute and chronic postoperative pain and persistent opioid use. ML models demonstrate satisfactory performance to predict pain outcomes and their prognostic trajectories, identify modifiable risk factors and at-risk patients who benefit from targeted pain management strategies, and show promise in pain prevention applications. However, further evidence is needed to evaluate the reliability, generalizability, effectiveness, and safety of ML-driven approaches before their integration into perioperative pain management practices. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to enhance perioperative pain management by providing more accurate predictive models and personalized interventions. By leveraging ML algorithms, clinicians can better identify at-risk patients and tailor treatment strategies accordingly. However, successful implementation needs to address challenges in data quality, algorithmic complexity, and ethical and practical considerations. Future research should focus on validating AI-driven interventions in clinical practice and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to advance perioperative care.

Perioperative Transfusion Practices in Adults Having Noncardiac Surgery

Surgical patients are often transfused to manage bleeding and anemia. Best practices for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion administration in patient having noncardiac surgery remains controversial and a robust evaluation and description of perioperative transfusion practices is lacking. We characterized perioperative hemoglobin concentrations and transfusion practices from the prospective VISION cohort which included 39,222 patients aged ≥45 years who had inpatient noncardiac surgery. Variations in transfusion practices were analyzed using hierarchical mixed models, and associations with mortality and complications were evaluated using a nested frailty survival model. Within the cohort, 16.1% (n = 6296) were given perioperative RBC transfusions, with the fraction declining from 20% to 13% over the 6-year study period. The proportion of patients transfused varied by surgery type from 6.4% for low-risk operations (i.e., minor surgery) to 31.5% for orthopedic surgeries. Variations were largely associated with patient hemoglobin concentrations, but also with center (range: 3.7%-27.3%) and country (0.4%-25.3%). Even after adjusting for baseline hemoglobin, comorbidities and type of surgery, both center and country were significant sources of variation in transfusion practices. Among transfused participants, 60.4% (n = 3728/6170) had at least 1 hemoglobin concentration ≤80g/L and 86.0% (n = 5305/6170) had at least 1 hemoglobin concentration ≤90g/L, suggesting that relatively restrictive transfusion strategies were used in most. The proportion of patients receiving at least 1 RBC transfusion declined from 20% to 13% over 6 years. However, there was considerable unexplained variation in transfusion practices.

Surgical Techniques for Lymphovenous Bypass: A Review

Background: Lymphedema is a progressive, debilitating disease that may affect up to 250 million individuals worldwide. Complex decongestive therapy (CDT) remains the first line of treatment for lymphedema, and surgical treatment currently has no formally established role. In recent years, lymphovenous bypass (LVB) has emerged as a potentially efficacious intervention to improve patients' objective and subjective measures of lymphedema. Despite this promise, there are few evidence-based recommendations to inform the adoption of the practice. Methods: A narrative review of the present literature on LVB was performed through a query of records using various combinations of Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms and keywords such as “lymphatic vessels,” “lymphedema,” “breast cancer lymphedema,” “surgical anastomosis,” “lymphovenous bypass,” “lymphovenous anastomosis.” The articles were assessed for 1) bibliometric characteristics, 2) preoperative evaluation, 2) operative techniques, 3) postoperative regimens, and 4) outcome measures. Results: The sixty-year evolution of LVB has transformed rapidly in response to technological advances in the last two decades. The geographically distributed investigation of these surgical innovations has prompted a fragmentation of LVB practice. As original research outpaces literature review, there needs to be more consistency in terminology, perioperative practices, and evaluation of outcomes of LVB, which challenge systematic analysis. The systematic reviews to date emphasize the ability of LVB to improve objective measures such as limb circumference. Still, the inconsistent use of subjective measures limits our appreciation of the collective improvement in patient-reported outcomes. Moreover, there are a limited number of accepted methods for patient selection, preoperative evaluation, and surgical planning, with many surgical techniques employed. Conclusion: The unifying principles and scientific evidence must be clarified to guide an overarching consensus before the widespread adoption of LVB. This article aims to synthesize recommendations and current institutional preferences concerning the research and clinical applications of LVB. The collaboration and continued refining of these practices will be necessary to establish the role of LVB in the treatment and prevention of lymphedema.

Improving quality and patient safety in surgical care through standardisation and harmonisation of perioperative care (SAFEST project): A research protocol for a mixed methods study.

Adverse events in health care affect 8% to 12% of patients admitted to hospitals in the European Union (EU), with surgical adverse events being the most common types reported. SAFEST project aims to enhance perioperative care quality and patient safety by establishing and implementing widely supported evidence-based perioperative patient safety practices to reduce surgical adverse events. We will conduct a mixed-methods hybrid type III implementation study supporting the development and adoption of evidence-based practices through a Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative (QILC) in co-creation with stakeholders. The project will be conducted in 10 hospitals and related healthcare facilities of 5 European countries. We will assess the level of adherence to the standardised practices, as well as surgical complications incidence, patient-reported outcomes, contextual factors influencing the implementation of the patient safety practices, and sustainability. The project will consist of six components: 1) Development of patient safety standardised practices in perioperative care; 2) Guided self-evaluation of the standardised practices; 3) Identification of priorities and actions plans; 4) Implementation of a QILC strategy; 5) Evaluation of the strategy effectiveness; 6) Patient empowerment for patient safety. Sustainability of the project will be ensured by systematic assessment of sustainability factors and business plans. Towards the end of the project, a call for participation will be launched to allow other hospitals to conduct the self-evaluation of the standardized practices. The SAFEST project will promote patient safety standardized practices in the continuum of care for adult patients undergoing surgery. This project will result in a broad implementation of evidence-based practices for perioperative care, spanning from the care provided before hospital admission to post-operative recovery at home or outpatient facilities. Different implementation challenges will be faced in the application of the evidence-based practices, which will be mitigated by developing context-specific implementation strategies. Results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and will be available in an online platform.

Development of Consensus-Based Best Practice Guidelines for the Perioperative and Postoperative Care of Pediatric Patients With Spinal Deformity and Programmable Implanted Devices.

Modified Delphi consensus study. To develop consensus-based best practices for the care of pediatric patients who have implanted programmable devices (IPDs) and require spinal deformity surgery. Implanted programmable devices (IPDs) are often present in patients with neuromuscular or syndromic scoliosis who require spine surgery. Guidelines for monitoring and interrogating these devices during the perioperative period are not available. A panel was assembled consisting of 25 experts (i.e., spinal deformity surgeons, neurosurgeons, neuroelectrophysiologists, cardiologists, and otolaryngologists). Initial postulates were based on a literature review and results from a prior survey. Postulates addressed the following IPDs: vagal nerve stimulators (VNS), programmable ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS), intrathecal baclofen pumps (ITBP), cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD), deep brain stimulators (DBS), and cochlear implants. Cardiologist and otolaryngologist participants responded only to postulates on cardiac pacemakers or cochlear implants, respectively. Consensus was defined as ≥80% agreement, items that did not reach consensus were revised and included in subsequent rounds. A total of 3 survey rounds and 1 virtual meeting were conducted. Consensus was reached on 39 total postulates across 6 IPD types. Postulates addressed general spine surgery considerations, the use of intraoperative monitoring and cautery, the use of magnetically controlled growing rods (MCGRs), and the use of an external remote controller to lengthen MCGRs. Across IPD types, consensus for the final postulates ranged from 94.4% to 100%. Overall, experts agreed that MCGRs can be surgically inserted and lengthened in patients with a variety of IPDs and provided guidance for the use of intraoperative monitoring and cautery, which varied between IPD types. Spinal deformity correction surgery often benefits from the use of intraoperative monitoring, monopolar and bipolar cautery, and MCGRs. The final postulates from this study can inform the perioperative and postoperative practices of spinal deformity surgeons who treat patients with both scoliosis and IPDs. V-Expert opinion.

Evidence-based Perioperative Practice Disparity: Comment.

Evidence-based Perioperative Practice Disparity: Comment.

Five historical innovations that have shaped modern otolaryngological surgery.

Throughout history, many innovations have contributed to the development of modern otolaryngological surgery, improving patient outcomes and expanding the range of treatment options available to patients. This article explores five key historical innovations that have shaped modern otolaryngological surgery: Operative Microscope, Hopkins Rigid Endoscope, Laryngeal Nerve monitoring, Cochlear implants and Laser surgery. The selection of innovations for inclusion in this article was meticulously determined through expert consensus and an extensive literature review. We will review the development, impact and significance of each innovation, highlighting their contributions to the field of otolaryngological surgery and their ongoing relevance in contemporary and perioperative practice.

An Augmented Reality Model for Evaluating Traumatic Craniofacial Fractures

Background: Accurate diagnosis and spatial characterization of craniofacial fractures is critical for treatment planning and precise fracture reduction. Since augmented reality (AR) has potential for better diagnostic evaluation than traditional three-dimensional (3D) reformats, we tested whether our accessible mobile-based AR model improves diagnostic accuracy, spatial understanding, and decreases task cognitive load when clinicians evaluate facial fractures. Methods: Clinicians (n = 30) in specialties managing craniofacial trauma assessed a database of mandibular and maxillofacial complex fractures of varying severity using computed-tomography slices supplemented with either traditional 3D reformats (control) or the AR model (experimental), completed diagnostic and spatial characterization tasks, and were evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively on diagnostic accuracy, task cognitive load, and weighted preference for the traditional versus AR model. Results: Most clinicians (83%) preferred the AR model overall. Control and experimental groups had equivalent diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Less experienced clinicians found the AR model required less effort, was less frustrating, and was preferred for fracture displacement characterization. The AR model had no significant impact on more experienced clinicians. All clinicians found the AR model allowed more intuitive manipulation of the 3D object. Those with less experience preferred the AR model over traditional imaging for diagnostic and educational purposes, whereas more experienced clinicians found that the AR model did not significantly alter their established approach to fracture evaluation. Conclusions: Our mobile-based AR model may be preferable to traditional 3D formats for spatial assessment tasks and decreasing task cognitive load, most notably for less experienced clinicians for whom perioperative practices are less established.

Penerapan Intervensi Audiovisual dalam Meningkatkan Kepatuhan Selama Proses Induksi Anestesi pada Anak yang Menjalani Tindakan Operasi

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of audiovisual intervention in enhancing compliance during anesthesia induction in children undergoing surgery. The methodology used is a systematic review of several English-language research articles published between 2014 and 2023. Articles were retrieved from five online databases, such as ProQuest, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Ebsco MEDLINE, and Embase. The results of this study demonstrated that the use of audiovisual intervention was effective in enhancing compliance during anesthesia induction in children undergoing surgery. In conclusion, audiovisual intervention can be implemented as part of preoperative preparation programs for children undergoing surgery in order to enhance their levels of compliance during anesthesia induction. Audiovisual interventions can be used to achieve positive postoperative outcomes, either when utilized alone or combined with standard perioperative care practices. Keywords:Audiovisual Intervention, Child, Surgery, Induction Compliance.

Enhanced perioperative care for the prevention of anastomotic leakage – DOUBLE CHECK: study protocol for an international, multicenter open-label trial with historical controls

Background: Colorectal anastomotic leakage (CAL) remains a severe complication after bowel surgery. Recent research has identified several modifiable perioperative CAL risk factors. The aim of this study is to implement an enhanced perioperative care protocol, to optimize the intraoperative condition of the patient and minimalize exposure to modifiable CAL risk factors. Secondly, this study will investigate whether implementation of this new protocol results in a decreased CAL rate. Methods: The DOUBLE CHECK study will be performed using an open-label, international, multicenter design in 11 participating hospitals. The aim is to include an intervention group of 943 adult patients that underwent a colorectal resection with creation of a primary anastomosis. The patients in the intervention group will be treated according to an enhanced perioperative care protocol focusing on optimizing the intraoperative condition of the patient by minimalizing exposure to the following perioperative factors: anemia, hyperglycemia, hypothermia, epidural anesthesia, vasopressor drug administration, and incorrect or lack of antibiotic prophylaxis. The control group will consist of 1562 historical patients that were treated with standard perioperative practice (LekCheck study cohort). The patient’s intraoperative condition defined by exposure to the six perioperative risk factors, compliance to the DOUBLE CHECK study protocol, 30-day and 90-day CAL and other postoperative complications, length of hospital-stay, and ICU stay, hospital readmission and 30-day mortality will be measured. Discussion: The strength of this study is that it is an implementation study of an enhanced perioperative practice protocol for patients that are scheduled for colorectal resection in combination with a comparative study. This protocol could be a tool for other hospitals that want to improve their perioperative care pathway.

Codesigning an E-Health Intervention for Surgery Preparation and Recovery.

Surgery is a significant part of healthcare, but its demand is increasing, leading to challenges in managing patient care. Inefficient perioperative practices and traditional linear models contribute to adverse outcomes and patient anxiety. E-health interventions show promise in improving surgical care, but more research is needed. The purpose of this study was to involve patients and healthcare workers during the design phase of an e-health intervention that aims to support the perioperative care of elective surgery preparation and recovery. This study used an Information Systems Research Framework to guide collaborative codesign through semistructured interviews and cocreation workshops. Semistructured interviews collected insights on the perioperative journey and e-health needs from healthcare workers and consumers, resulting in the creation of a patient surgery journey map, experience map, and a stakeholder needs table. Collaborative work between consumers and healthcare workers in the cocreation workshops identified priority perioperative journey issues and proposed solutions, as well as prioritizing application software needs, guiding the development of the wireframe. The development of an e-health application aimed at supporting surgery preparation and recovery is a significant step toward improving patient engagement, satisfaction, and postsurgical health outcomes.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: a narrative review of clinical pharmacology and implications for peri-operative practice.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists are used increasingly in the management of patients living with type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. In patients using glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, a key concern in the peri-operative period is the increased risk of pulmonary aspiration due to delayed gastric emptying. This review provides an overview of the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and the risk of delayed gastric emptying and aspiration. We conducted searches of MEDLINE and EMBASE databases of articles published before January 2024 using the keywords and medical subject headings: incretins; glucagon-like peptide-1; GLP-1; glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists; GLP-1 RA; peri-operative period; perioperative; peri-operative; stomach emptying; gastric emptying; pulmonary aspiration; aspiration; food regurgitation; and regurgitation. The evidence was analysed, synthesised and reported narratively. A total of 1213 articles were located after duplicates were removed. Two authors screened the titles and abstracts to identify those studies which assessed specifically the risk of delayed gastric emptying and pulmonary aspiration or regurgitation in the peri-operative period. We searched manually the reference lists of relevant studies to identify any additional case reports. Ten studies were identified. Available evidence was limited to case reports, case series and observational work. There is insufficient evidence to put forward definitive guidance regarding the ideal cessation period for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists before elective surgery. Precautionary practice is required until more evidence becomes available. We suggest an individualised, evidence-based approach. In patients living with type 2 diabetes mellitus, there is concern that prolonged cessation before surgery will have a detrimental effect on peri-operative glycaemic control and discussion with an endocrinologist is advised. For patients taking glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight management, these drugs should be withheld for at least three half-lives before an elective surgical procedure.

Time to Start a New Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS): A Retrospective Cohort Study.

The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS®) is a multimodal perioperative care pathway designed to reduce surgical stress and ultimately improve patient recovery and outcome. It can require significant resources but with proven benefits. The main goal of this study was to perform a diagnostic assessment of perioperative practice in a local colorectal surgical center. 93 patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery from January to December 2022 were analyzed. Preadmission, preoperative, and postoperative data of all patients were collected in a database developed by the researchers, according to ERAS® guidelines. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize demographic and clinical characteristics. Chi-square and T-test were performed to identify possible associations between categorical variables and postoperative complications. Overall analysis showed deficient preoperative patient optimization, especially regarding nutritional counseling and supplementation, smoking and alcohol cessation, anemia treatment (9%), and pre-anesthetic medication (42%). Removal of invasive devices was significantly delayed (removal of urinary catheter average on the fourthday and surgical drain average on the fifthday) in the postoperatively period and oral intake (average onset on the sixthday). Both contribute to hospital length of stay (mean of 13 days) and a significant number of complications. The results lead us to an individual and multidisciplinary reflection on current practices and outcomes. ERAS® program, already adopted by many centers, could have a positive impact on the immediate postoperative recovery of colorectal patients in Funchal Central Hospital andimplementation seems necessary.