Purpose: To examine the outcomes from an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program for laparoscopic gastric surgery.
Materials and methods: This was a prospective study of patients undergoing elective laparoscopic gastric resection in an ERAS protocol at a single institution between 2008 and 2012. Outcomes included the length of hospital stay, intraoperative and postoperative complications, the readmission rate, the reoperation rate, and the 30-day mortality.
Results: Of the 86 patients, 60 underwent partial gastrectomy and 26 underwent total gastrectomy. Median lymph nodes sampled was 15 (range, 9 to 47). The median length of hospital stay was 4 (range, 1 to 44) days. The conversion rate to open surgery was 11.6%. Four patients (4.7%) had an anastomotic leak. Three patients had postoperative bleeding (4.7%). About 4.7% (n=4) of the patients required readmission and 8.1% required reoperation (n=7). The 30-day mortality rate was 2.3% (n=2) due to complications from anastomotic leak.
Conclusions: Laparoscopic gastrectomy within an ERAS protocol results in a short hospital stay with an acceptable morbidity and mortality rate.