Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Society publishes guidelines on perioperative care, but these guidelines should be validated prospectively. To evaluate the association between compliance with Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Gynecologic/Oncology guideline elements and postoperative outcomes in an international cohort. The study comprised 2101 patients undergoing elective gynecologic/oncology surgery between January 2011 and November 2017 in 10 hospitals across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Patient demographics, surgical/anesthesia details, and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol compliance elements (pre-, intra-, and postoperative phases) were entered into the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Interactive Audit System. Surgical complexity was stratified according to the Aletti scoring system (low vs medium/high). The following covariates were accounted for in the analysis: age, body mass index, smoking status, presence of diabetes, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, preoperative chemotherapy, radiotherapy, operating time, surgical approach (open vs minimally invasive), intraoperative blood loss, hospital, and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery implementation status. The primary end points were primary hospital length of stay and complications. Negative binomial regression was used to model length of stay, and logistic regression to model complications, as a function of compliance score and covariates. Patient demographics included a median age 56 years, 35.5% obese, 15% smokers, and 26.7% American Society of Anesthesiologists Class III-IV. Final diagnosis was malignant in 49% of patients. Laparotomy was used in 75.9% of cases, and the remainder minimally invasive surgery. The majority of cases (86%) were of low complexity (Aletti score ≤3). In patients with ovarian cancer, 69.5% had a medium/high complexity surgery (Aletti score 4-11). Median length of stay was 2 days in the low- and 5 days in the medium/high-complexity group. Every unit increase in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery guideline score was associated with 8% (IRR, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-0.95; P<.001) decrease in days in hospital among low-complexity, and 12% (IRR, 0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.82-0.93; P<.001) decrease among patients with medium/high-complexity scores. For every unit increase in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery guideline score, the odds of total complications were estimated to be 12% lower (P<.05) among low-complexity patients. Audit of surgical practices demonstrates that improved compliance with Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Gynecologic/Oncology guidelines is associated with an improvement in clinical outcomes, including length of stay, highlighting the importance of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery implementation.

Background: Adequate selection of patients with peritoneal metastasis (PM) for cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) remains critical for successful long-term outcomes. Factors reflecting tumor biology are currently poorly represented in the selection process. The prognostic relevance of RAS/RAF mutations in patients with PM remains unclear. Methods: Survival data of patients with colorectal PM operated in 6 European tertiary centers were retrospectively collected and predictive factors for survival identified by Cox regression analyses. A simple point-based risk score was developed to allow patient selection and outcome prediction. Results: Data of 524 patients with a median age of 59 years and a median peritoneal cancer index of 7 (interquartile range: 3–12) were collected. A complete resection was possible in 505 patients; overall morbidity and 90-day mortality were 50.9% and 2.1%, respectively. PCI [hazard ratio (HR): 1.08], N1 stage (HR: 2.15), N2 stage (HR: 2.57), G3 stage (HR: 1.80) as well as KRAS (HR: 1.46) and BRAF (HR: 3.97) mutations were found to significantly impair survival after CRS/HIPEC on multivariate analyses. Mutations of RAS/RAF impaired survival independently of targeted treatment against EGFR. Consequently, a simple point-based risk score termed BIOSCOPE (BIOlogical Score of COlorectal PEritoneal metastasis) based on PCI, N-, G-, and RAS/RAF status was developed, which showed good discrimination [development area under the curve (AUC) = 0.72, validation AUC = 0.70], calibration (P = 0.401) and allowed categorization of patients into 4 groups with strongly divergent survival outcomes. Conclusion: RAS/RAF mutations impair survival after CRS/HIPEC. The novel BIOSCOPE score reflects tumor biology, adequately stratifies long-term outcomes, and improves patient assessment and selection.

Crohn’s disease is an incurable and frequently progressive entity with major impact on affected patients. Up to half of patients require surgery in the first 10 years after diagnosis and over 75% of operated patients require at least one further surgery within lifetime. In order to minimize surgical risk, modifiable risk factors such as nutritional status need to be optimized. This systematic review on preoperative nutritional support in adult Crohn’s patients between 1997 and 2017 aimed to provide an overview on target populations, screening modalities, routes of administration, and expected benefits. Pertinent study characteristics (prospective vs. retrospective, sample size, control group, limitations) were defined a priori. Twenty-nine studies were retained, of which 14 original studies (9 retrospective, 4 prospective, and 1 randomized controlled trial) and 15 reviews. Study heterogeneity was high regarding nutritional regimens and outcome, and meta-analysis could not be performed. Most studies were conducted without matched control group and thus provide modest level of evidence. Consistently, malnutrition was found to be a major risk factor for postoperative complications, and both enteral and parenteral routes were efficient in decreasing postoperative morbidity. Current guidelines for nutrition in general surgery apply also to Crohn’s patients. The route of administration should be chosen according to disease presentation and patients’ condition. Further studies are needed to strengthen the evidence.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines advocate early postoperative mobilisation to counteract catabolic changes due to immobilisation and maintain muscle strength. The present study aimed to assess compliance to postoperative mobilisation according to ERAS recommendations. This is a retrospective cohort study on consecutive colorectal surgical procedures treated within an established ERAS protocol within a single center between May 2011 and May 2017. Demographics, surgical details, ERAS related items and surgical outcome were prospectively assessed in a dedicated database and compared between ambulant patients (at least 6 h out of bed at postoperative day (POD) 1) vs. patients not meeting the target (delayed mobilisation). Risk factors for decreased postoperative mobilisation were identified through multivariable logistic regression. 1170 patients were retained. 676 patients (58%) did not mobilise as recommended by ERAS protocol at POD1. Emergency operation (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.40; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.18-0.91, p = 0.028), age > 70 years (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.47-1.00, p = 0.050) and intraoperative total fluids > 2000 mL (OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.37-0.93, p = 0.025) were independent risk factors for delayed mobilisation. Patients with delayed mobilisation had significantly more overall (Clavien grade IV) (55% vs. 29%, p=<0.001), major (Clavien grade IIIb-V) (16% vs. 7%, p=<0.001) and respiratory (12% vs. 4%, p=<0.001) complications, as well as longer length of stay (12 ± 14 vs. 6±7days, p=<0.001). More than half of patients did not mobilise as recommended by ERAS guidelines. Emergency surgery, advanced age and fluid overload were independent risk factors for delayed mobilisation, which was associated with increased postoperative complications.

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs has shown clinical benefits in gynecologic surgery. The aim of the present study was to compare costs before and after implementation of an ERAS program for gynecologic surgery. Retrospective study comparing perioperative costs between consecutive patient groups undergoing gynecologic surgery (benign, staging or debulking) (I, 2012-13) prior, (II) immediately after, and (III, 2014-16) the three years after ERAS implementation. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative real costs were collected for each patient via hospital administration. A bootstrap independent t-test was used for comparison. Demographics and preoperative characteristics were similar between group I (n = 42), II (n = 51), and III (ERAS I; n = 122, II; n = 134, III; n = 90). Average ERAS-specific costs were $687 per patient. Total mean individual costs per patient were $13'329 (95% confidence interval (CI): 11'301-15'213) and $17'710 (95% CI: 14'452-21'605) in the ERAS and pre-ERAS groups respectively, resulting in net savings of $4'381 (95% CI: 549-8'752, p = 0.043) in favour of ERAS group. Cost savings were explained by lower pre- and postoperative costs (difference: $5'011 95% CI: 1'587-8'998, p = 0.019). Total costs continued to decrease by $2'520 (mean: $15'190, 95% CI: 13'791-16'631) in year 1, by $3'077 (mean: $14'633, 95% CI: 13'378-16'250) and $5'070 (mean: $12'640, 95% CI: 11'460-14'015) (p = 0.03) respectively, in year 2 and 3 after implementation. Based on real costs and including specific costs due to ERAS implementation, ERAS program in gynecologic surgery induced significant decrease of overall costs by $4'381 per patient. Total costs continued to decrease in the three years after implementation.