The implementation of a pectus bar insertion enhanced recovery after surgery pathway: A quality improvement initiative.

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum repair is associated with significant discomfort, and pain is a primary contributor to postoperative hospital length of stay. Recent advances in postoperative pain control include the use of intercostal cryoablation techniques that may now make it possible to discharge patients on the day of surgery. Unnecessary variation in patient care and noncompliance with care bundles may be a factor in extended length of stay. The global aim of this quality improvement initiative was to successfully implement an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway on patients undergoing pectus excavatum repair. The SMART aim was to have a greater than 70% compliance for the perioperative bundle elements within 1 year of the pathway implementation. METHODS: Multiple Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were designed to create and implement an ERAS pathway for patients undergoing a pectus bar insertion procedure. This multidisciplinary pathway was designed, managed, and implemented with key stakeholders from the Departments of Evidence Based Practice, Surgery, Anesthesiology, and Perioperative Nursing. Patient characteristics, outcomes, and compliance with elements of the pathway were measured for analysis for both the baseline and post-intervention groups with monthly automated reports. RESULTS: After implementation of the ERAS pathway, data on the first 50 patients showed a 90% compliance with the perioperative bundle elements. Mean length of stay was significantly decreased from 33 h (95% CI [28.76, 37.31]) to 18 h (95% CI [14.54, 21.70]). There were zero readmissions within 24 hours for patients who were discharged on the day of surgery. CONCLUSION: Employing a multidisciplinary approach in both planning and execution that standardized clinician practices and minimized unnecessary variation in patient care, an ERAS pathway for pectus bar insertion has been successfully established at our institution.

Preoperative evaluation and preparation of the patient for cardiac surgery.

Cardiac surgery is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic costs. Preoperative assessment assists the clinician in identifying potential complications and facilitates discussion of these risks with the patient. Careful patient selection and preparation during preoperative evaluation may minimize morbidity, mortality, and resource use. This article outlines a system-based approach to preoperative evaluation and preparation of the patient undergoing cardiac surgery.

Preoperative evaluation and preparation of the patient for cardiac surgery.

Cardiac surgery is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic costs. Preoperative assessment assists the clinician in identifying potential complications and facilitates discussion of these risks with the patient. Careful patient selection and preparation during preoperative evaluation may minimize morbidity, mortality, and resource use. This article outlines a system-based approach to preoperative evaluation and preparation of the patient undergoing cardiac surgery.