ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical effect of fast-track surgery combined with Chinese medicine treatment in devascularization operation for cirrhotic esophageal varices.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-two patients with cirrhotic esophageal varices were selected from January 2009 to June 2013, and randomly assigned to a conventional group and a fast-track group (fast-track surgery combined with Chinese medicine treatment) using a randomized digital table, 36 cases in each group. Operation and anesthesia recovery time, postoperative hospitalization and quality of life were recorded and compared between groups during the perioperative period.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the conventional group, the fast-track group had longer operation time (253.6±46.4 min vs. 220.6±51.0 min) and anesthesia recovery time (50.5±15.9 min vs. 23.5±9.6 min; P<0.01); less bleeding (311.3±46.8 mL vs. 356.2±57.5 mL; P<0.01) and less transfusion (1932.3±106.9 mL vs. 2045.6±115.4 mL; P<0.01); as well as faster recovery of gastrointestinal function, shorter postoperative hospitalization and higher quality of life. There were no serious postoperative complications and no further bleeding occurred.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Fast-track surgery combined with Chinese medicine treatment is a safe and feasible approach to accelerate the recovery of patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension in perioperative period of devascularization operation.</p>