La base científica de los protocolos ERAS® / The Science behind ERAS®

RESUMEN En este artículo se revisan los principios de los protocolos ERAS de recuperación optimizada después de la cirugía y sus raíces en las ciencias médicas, y cómo el grupo de estudio ERAS Study Group y posteriormente ERAS® Society (www.erassociety.org) los crearon. Los protocolos ERAS representan una fórmula para elaborar vías de atención perioperatoria basadas en la literatura médica para los pacientes quirúrgicos. Se realiza una revisión de la literatura médica por parte de grupos de expertos que reúnen los elementos asistenciales con datos científicos que demuestran los efectos beneficiosos para la recuperación. Al reunir múltiples elementos de atención que han demostrado mejorar los resultados, se crea una guía a partir de la cual se puede establecer una vía de atención. Posteriormente, la eficacia de la guía se pone a prueba en la práctica clínica evaluando del cumplimiento de los elementos de atención de la guía relacionados con los desenlaces clínicos relevantes. Muchas recomendaciones de ERAS® Society han demostrado mejorar los resultados en términos de complicaciones y recuperación y alta hospitalaria. Cada vez hay más informes que muestran una asociación entre el mejor cumplimiento de las recomendaciones y la supervivencia a largo plazo después de la cirugía. Otro aspecto de la base científica de los protocolos ERAS son los estudios que sugieren que los efectos clínicos se consiguen modulando varios aspectos de las respuestas al estrés quirúrgico.

ABSTRACT In this paper the principles of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) and how it is rooted in the medical sciences is reviewed and how ERAS has been developed by the ERAS Study Group and later by the ERAS®Society (www.erassociety.org). ERAS represents a formula for developing perioperative care pathways for patients undergoing surgery based on the medical literature. Expert groups review the medical literature and assembles care elements that have scientific data to show beneficial effects for recovery. By assembling multiple care elements all shown to improve outcomes, a Guideline is created from which a care pathway can be built. The Guideline is later tested in clinical practice to evaluate its effectiveness by studying compliance to the guideline care elements related to key clinical outcomes. Several ERAS®Society Guidelines have been proven to improve outcomes both with regard to complications and in hospital recovery and discharge. A growing number of reports are showing an association between improved compliance to guidelines and long term survival after surgery. Another aspect of the science behind ERAS are studies suggesting that the clinical effects are achieved by modulating various aspects of the surgical stress responses.

Prognostic Factors for Postsurgical Recovery of Deltoid Palsy due to Cervical Disc Herniations

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective multicenter study. PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate prognostic factors affecting postsurgical recovery of deltoid palsy due to cervical disc herniation (CDH). OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Little information is available about prognostic factors affecting postsurgical recovery of deltoid palsy due to CDH. METHODS: Sixty-one patients with CDH causing deltoid palsy (less than grade 3) were included in this study: 35 soft discs and 26 hard discs. Average duration of preoperative deltoid palsy was 11.9 weeks. Thirty-two patients underwent single-level surgery, 22 two-level, four three-level, and three four-level. Patients with accompanying myelopathy, shoulder diseases, or peripheral neuropathy were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Deltoid palsy (2.4 grades vs. 4.5 grades, p<0.001) and radiculopathy (6.4 points vs. 2.1 points, p<0.001) significantly improved after surgery. Thirty-six of 61 patients (59%) achieved full recovery (grade 5) of deltoid palsy, with an average time of 8.4 weeks. Longer duration of preoperative deltoid palsy and more severe radiculopathy negatively affected the degree of improvement in deltoid palsy. Age, gender, number of surgery level, and disc type did not affect the degree of improvement of deltoid palsy. Contrary to our expectations, severity of preoperative deltoid palsy did not affect the degree of improvement. Due to the shorter duration of preoperative deltoid palsy, in the context of rapid referral, early surgical decompression resulted in significant recovery of more severe grades (grade 0 or 1) of deltoid palsy compared to grade 2 or 3 deltoid palsy. CONCLUSIONS: Early surgical decompression significantly improved deltoid palsy caused by CDH, irrespective of age, gender, number of surgery level, and disc type. However, longer duration of deltoid palsy and more severe intensity of preoperative radiating pain were associated with less improvement of deltoid palsy postoperatively.