ENHANCED RECOVERY AFTER SURGERY

ENHANCED RECOVERY AFTER SURGERY PATHWAY OVERVIEW

The surgeons at the Elite Plastic Surgery have built their practice around patient outcomes. As one of the few centers in the country that follow enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol, our patients are able to be discharged home from the hospital on postoperative day three or as early as 36 hours. We are able to achieve this due to the ERAS protocol, which aims to alleviate the key medical stressors that have been proven to prolong hospitalization after surgery. Also, early ambulation after surgery decreases the risk of venous thromboembolism (blood clots) and postoperative pneumonia.

On the day of surgery, our patients are allowed to take in carbohydrate rich fluids (i.e. apple juice and sports drinks) prior to the procedure and immediately after the procedure and are able to resume a regular diet the following morning. This nutrition prevents overnight dehydration, limits the need for IV fluid administration, and also minimizes both hunger related hormone elevations and swelling of the body.

Narcotic use has been associated with longer recovery, nausea vomiting, constipation, weakness, and fatigue. Therefore, the morning of surgery, patients are administered a combination of various non-narcotic pain reducing medications to help with postoperative pain control and allowing for restriction of narcotic medications as much as possible, both during and after surgery, with the goal of expediting recovery and discharge.

With the initiation of this protocol, our patients are able to walk the next day with minimal pain.