Implementing a Cardiac Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol: Nuts and Bolts

Abstract

The use of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols among various surgical subspecialties is increasing, including in cardiac surgery. The goal of these protocols is to optimize patient outcomes and satisfaction and improve the value of healthcare delivered. Cardiac ERAS protocols are divided into the following 3 stages of perioperative care: preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative. ERAS strategies have been shown to work synergistically to reduce the length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, hospital cost, and opioid consumption; increase patient satisfaction; and result in less and early extubation. The ERAS team should consist of clinicians involved in the patient's care throughout the entire ERAS process. A cardiac ERAS program is an example of value-based care applied to a specific surgical specialty with goals to improve patient satisfaction, provide earlier recovery, and reduce hospital cost. This narrative review details the updates and gaps in the literature regarding the efficacy and utility of an ERAS protocol in cardiac surgery, outlines the individual components of a cardiac surgery ERAS protocol, and describes the implementation science that can be used to execute a cardiac ERAS protocol successfully.

Keywords: ERACS; ERAS; ERAS Cardiac; Enhanced Recovery After Cardiac Surgery; Enhanced Recovery After Surgery; Implementation Science.