Prospective study of the effect of ERAS on postoperative recovery and complications in patients with gastric cancer

Abstract

<h3>Objective:</h3> To study the efficacy of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program on postoperative recovery and complications in patients with gastric cancer. <h3>Methods:</h3> Eighty patients in the perioperative period with radical gastrectomy were enrolled and randomly divided into 2 groups, the ERAS group and the non-ERAS group. The differences between the 2 groups in terms of postoperative recoveries and complications rate were determined. According to the body mass index (BMI) level, the ERAS group was divided into 2 subgroups, namely group A (BMI &lt; 28 kg/m², <i>n</i> = 16) and group B (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m², <i>n</i> = 24). The non-ERAS group was also divided into group C (BMI &lt; 28 kg/m², <i>n</i> = 18) and group D (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m², <i>n</i> = 22). The recovery and complications of each group were then determined. <h3>Results:</h3> The postoperative length of stay and visual analogue scale pain score were less in the ERAS group than the non-ERAS group (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). Time to first postoperative exhaustion, first postoperative defecation, returning leukocyte count to normal, and stopping intravenous nutrition were significantly shorter in the ERAS group (<i>n</i> = 40), compared to the non-ERAS group (<i>n</i> = 40, all <i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). The incidence of postoperative lower extremity intramuscular venous thrombosis was significantly higher in group D than in group B (χ² = 4.800, <i>P</i> = 0.028). In addition, the incidence of lower extremity intermuscular venous thrombosis and lung infection in group D was higher than those in other groups. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> The perioperative ERAS program was associated with faster recovery in patients undergoing radical gastrectomy. For patients with higher BMI (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m²), the use of the perioperative ERAS program was more advantageous.

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