Real-World Implementation of Neurosurgical Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol for Gliomas in Patients Undergoing Elective Craniotomy.

Objective: To design a multidisciplinary enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol for glioma patients undergoing elective craniotomy and evaluate its clinical efficacy and safety after implementation in a tertiary neurosurgical center in China. Methods: ERAS protocol for glioma patients was developed and modified based on the best available evidence. Patients undergoing elective craniotomy for treatment of glioma between September 2019 to May 2021 were enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing a conventional neurosurgical perioperative care (control group) to an ERAS protocol (ERAS group). The primary outcome was postoperative hospital length of stay (LOS). Secondary outcomes were 30-day readmission rate, postoperative complications, duration of the drainage tube, time to first oral fluid intake, time to ambulation and functional recovery status. Results: A total of 151 patients were enrolled (ERAS group: n = 80; control group: n = 71). Compared with the control group, postoperative LOS was significantly shorter in the ERAS group (median: 5 days vs. 7 days, p<0.0001). No 30-day readmission or reoperation occurred in either group. The time of first oral intake, urinary catheter removal within 24 h and early ambulation on postoperative day (POD) 1 were earlier and shorter in the ERAS group compared with the control group (p<0.001). No statistical difference was observed between the two groups in terms of surgical- and nonsurgical-related complications. Functional recovery in terms of Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scores both at discharge and 30-day follow-up was similar in the two groups. Moreover, no significant difference was found between the two groups in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores. Conclusion: The implementation of the ERAS protocol for glioma patients offers significant benefits over conventional neurosurgical perioperative management, as it is associated with enhancing postoperative recovery, without additional perioperative complications and risks. Clinical Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=42016), identifier ChiCTR1900025108.

Development and validation of the Chinese surgical inpatient satisfaction and comfort questionnaire.

ABSTRACT: Patient feedback can provide insights to assess and improve the quality of healthcare. This study aimed to develop a measure of surgical inpatient satisfaction and comfort and examine its acceptability, validity, and reliability among discharged surgical patients.This multicenter, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at three tertiary hospitals in Shaanxi Province, China. A random sample of patients admitted to the surgical inpatient departments of the three hospitals between November and December 2018 was recruited. An analysis was conducted on the acceptability, validity, and reliability of a newly developed measure of satisfaction with surgical inpatient services.A total of 1582 out of 1805 (87.6%) eligible patients completed the questionnaire (average time taken = 17.1 ±â€Š10.3 minutes), which indicated high acceptability. Sociodemographic differences between the participants and non-participants were not significant. Using factor analysis, the following 7 dimensions (number of items: 65, variance explained: 68.0%) were identified: medical care (19 items), nursing care (15 items), environment and logistics (11 items), postoperative and hospitalization experiences (11 items), feeling nervous and afraid (4 items), operating room services (3 items), and visiting (2 items). The latent structure of the assessment was examined and validated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, respectively. All item loadings were >0.4. All dimensions demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alphas = 0.83-0.96) and test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficients = 0.77-0.96).The Chinese Surgical Inpatient Satisfaction and Comfort Questionnaire has strong psychometric properties and can be used to assess patient satisfaction with public hospital surgical inpatient services in China. A distinguishing feature of this questionnaire is the inclusion of a subscale that assesses comfort as a dimension of patient satisfaction. Such instruments can be used to identify the factors that should be addressed to improve the quality of patient care. Further research is needed to determine the role of assessment in quality improvement.

Management of Postoperative Pain after Elective Craniotomy: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of a Neurosurgical Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) Program.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the efficacy of a neurosurgical enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol on the management of postoperative pain after elective craniotomies. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in the neurosurgical center of Tangdu Hospital (Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China). A total of 129 patients undergoing craniotomies between October 2016 and July 2017 were enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing an ERAS protocol to a conventional postoperative care regimen. The primary outcome was the postoperative pain score assessed by a verbal numerical rating scale (NRS). Results: Patients in the ERAS group had a significant reduction in their postoperative pain scores on POD 1 compared to patients in the control group (p < 0.05). More patients (n = 44, 68.8%) in the ERAS group experienced mild pain (NRS: 1 to 3) on POD1 compared with patients (n = 23, 35.4%) in the control group (p < 0.05). A further reduction in pain scores was also observed on POD 2 and maintained on POD 3 in the ERAS group compared with that in the control group. In addition, the median postoperative length of hospital stay was significantly decreased with the incorporation of the ERAS protocol compared to controls (ERAS: 4 days, control: 7 days, P<0.001). Conclusion: The implementation of a neurosurgical ERAS protocol for elective craniotomy patients has significant benefits in alleviating postoperative pain and enhancing recovery leading to early discharge after surgery compared to conventional care. Further evaluation of this protocol in larger, multi-center studies is warranted.

Ambulatory Surgery Protocol for Endoscopic Endonasal Resection of Pituitary Adenomas: A Prospective Single-arm Trial with Initial Implementation Experience.

Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal resection has been accepted as a routine therapy for pituitary adenoma, but the postoperative hospital stay is typically several days long. With the advantages of reduced cost and improved patient satisfaction, the application of ambulatory surgery (AS) has developed rapidly. However, AS was still rarely adopted in neurosurgery. Here we designed an AS treatment protocol for pituitary adenoma with the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA), and reported our initial experiences regarding the safety and efficacy of the AS protocol. 63 patients who presented with pituitary adenoma were screened at the Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital from July to September, 2017. A total of 20 pituitary adenoma patients who met the inclusion criteria underwent EEA surgery using this evidence-based AS protocol, which emphasized adequate assessment for eligibility, full preparation to minimize invasiveness, enhanced recovery, and active perioperative patient education. Of the 20 patients enrolled, 18 were discharged on the afternoon of the operation day with a median total length of stay (LOS) of 31 hours (range, 29-32) hours. The median LOS after surgery was 6.5 (range, 5-8) hours. Two patients were transferred from the AS protocol to conventional care due to intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage (one case) and an unsatisfying post-anesthetic discharge score (one case). Complications included transient and reversible mild postoperative nausea and vomiting [visual analog scale (VAS) score <3], headache (VAS score <3) after the operation or early after discharge. No patient was readmitted. Our results supported the safety and efficacy of the AS protocol for pituitary adenoma patients undergoing EEA resection among eligible patients, and further evaluation of this protocol in controlled studies with a larger sample size is warranted.

Successful implementation of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol reduces nausea and vomiting after infratentorial craniotomy for tumour resection: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Infratentorial craniotomy patients have a high incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have been shown in multiple surgical disciplines to improve outcomes, including reduced PONV. However, very few studies have described the application of ERAS to infratentorial craniotomy. The aim of this study was to examine whether our ERAS protocol for infratentorial craniotomy could improve PONV. METHODS: We implemented an evidence-based, multimodal ERAS protocol for patients undergoing infratentorial craniotomy. A total of 105 patients who underwent infratentorial craniotomy were randomized into either the ERAS group (n = 50) or the control group (n = 55). Primary outcomes were the incidence of vomiting, nausea score, and use of rescue antiemetic during the first 72 h after surgery. Secondary outcomes included postoperative anxiety level, sleep quality, and complications. RESULTS: Over the entire 72 h post-craniotomy observation period, the cumulative incidence of vomiting was significantly lower in the ERAS group than in the control group. Meanwhile, the incidence of vomiting was significantly lower in the ERAS group on postoperative days (PODs) 2 and 3. Notably, the proportion of patients with mild nausea (VAS 0-4) was higher in the ERAS group as compared to the control group on PODs 2 or 3. Additionally, the postoperative anxiety level and quality of sleep were significantly better in the ERAS group. CONCLUSION: Successful implementation of our ERAS protocol in infratentorial craniotomy patients could attenuate postoperative anxiety, improve sleep quality, and reduce the incidence of PONV, without increasing the rate of postoperative complications. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR-INR-16009662, 27 Oct 2016, Clinical study on the development and efficacy evaluation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) in Neurosurgery.

Enhanced Recovery After Intraspinal Tumor Surgery: A Single-Institutional Randomized Controlled Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program for intraspinal tumors in a single-institutional prospective randomized controlled trial. METHODS: A multimodal and multidisciplinary ERAS protocol for intraspinal tumor surgery was developed. A total of 94 enrolled patients were randomized into 2 groups: 48 were managed following the ERAS protocol (ERAS group), and 46 received conventional perioperative care (control group). The primary end point was postoperative length of stay (LOS). The secondary outcomes included postoperative pain score and pain medication use, urinary catheterization, ambulation, mortality, reoperation/readmission rates, complication rates, patient satisfaction, and overall cost. RESULTS: A significant reduction in LOS was achieved in patients undergoing ERAS protocol compared with the controls (5 vs. 8 days; P < 0.0001). Moreover, patients in the ERAS group had better postoperative pain scores (1.0 ± 1.3 vs. 1.9 ± 1.3; P = 0.007), decreased use of patient-controlled analgesia (4.2% vs. 19.6%; P = 0.020) and oral opioid (37.5% vs. 58.7%; P = 0.040), early urinary catheter removal (58.3% vs. 6.5%; P < 0.0001), greater ambulation (68.8% vs. 17.4%; P < 0.0001), and higher satisfaction scores (91.8 ± 4.4 vs. 88.2 ± 6.8; P = 0.022) than did the control group. There were no deaths or 30-day readmission/reoperation in both groups, nor did the postoperative complication rates differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The ERAS protocol for intraspinal tumor surgery seems to be feasible, effective, and safe in shortening postoperative LOS, improving postoperative pain control with reduced opioid use, and accelerating functional recovery without increasing rates of complications or reoperation/readmission. Adoption of spine ERAS programs could be encouraged in practice, although validation with larger-scale multicenter trials is warranted.

Neurosurgical enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programme for elective craniotomies: are patients satisfied with their experiences? A quantitative and qualitative analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate patient satisfaction and associated predictors at discharge, as well as patient experience at 30-day follow-up, in a neurosurgical enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programme. DESIGN: A single-centre, prospective, randomised controlled study. SETTING: A tertiary hospital in China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 140 neurosurgical patients aged 18-65 years old who had a single intracranial lesion and were admitted for elective craniotomy between October 2016 and July 2017 were included. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomised into two groups: 70 patients received care according to a novel neurosurgical ERAS protocol (ERAS group) and 70 patients received conventional perioperative care (control group). OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient satisfaction at discharge was evaluated using a multimodal questionnaire. A secondary analysis of patient experience regarding participation in the ERAS programme was conducted using a semistructured qualitative interview via telephone at 30-day follow-up. RESULTS: The mean patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the ERAS group than in the control group at discharge (92.2±4.3 vs 86.8±7.4, p=0.0001). The most important predictors of patient satisfaction included age (OR=6.934), postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score (OR=0.184), absorbable skin suture (OR=0.007) and postoperative length of stay (LOS) (OR=0.765). Analysis on patient experience revealed five themes: information transfer, professional support, shared responsibility and active participation, readiness for discharge, and follow-up, all of which are closely related and represent positive and negative aspects. CONCLUSIONS: Measures that include decreasing PONV VAS score, incorporating absorbable skin suture and shortening LOS seem to increase patient satisfaction in a neurosurgical ERAS programme. Analysis of data on patient experience highlights several aspects to achieve patient-centred and high-quality care. Further studies are warranted to standardise the assessment of patient satisfaction and experience in planning, employing and appraising the ERAS programme. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR-INR-16009662.

A randomized controlled study of preoperative oral carbohydrate loading versus fasting in patients undergoing elective craniotomy.

OBJECT: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of preoperative oral carbohydrate loading versus fasting on the outcomes of patients undergoing elective craniotomy. METHODS: In a single-center randomized controlled study, 120 neurosurgical patients who were admitted for elective craniotomy were included and randomized into 2 groups: 58 patients received 400 mL of oral carbohydrate loading 2 h before surgery (intervention group), and 62 patients were fasting for 8 h prior to surgery as routine management (control group). The primary end point was glucose homeostasis. Secondary outcomes included handgrip strength, pulmonary function and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Better glucose homeostasis (5.6 ± 1.0 mmol/L vs. 6.3 ± 1.2 mmol/L, P = 0.001) was achieved in patients who received preoperative oral carbohydrate loading compared to fasting. Furthermore, patients in the intervention group had better handgrip strength (25.3 ± 7.1 kg vs. 19.9 ± 7.5 kg, P < 0.0001) and pulmonary function (in terms of peak expiratory flow rate) (315.8 ± 91.5 L/min vs. 270.0 ± 102.7 L/min, P = 0.036) compared to the controls postoperatively. The rates of postoperative surgical and non-surgical complications did not differ between the groups. Both postoperative and total hospital length of stay (LOS) reduced significantly in the intervention group (-3d, P < 0.0001 and P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Oral carbohydrate loading given 2 h before surgery in patients undergoing elective craniotomy seems to improve glucose homeostasis, handgrip strength and pulmonary function as well as decrease LOS without increasing the risk of postoperative complications. Routine use of preoperative oral carbohydrate loading could be suggested in clinical settings, though further evaluation of its safety and efficacy is warranted.

Safety and efficacy of a novel neurosurgical enhanced recovery after surgery protocol for elective craniotomy: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVEAlthough enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs have gained acceptance in various surgical specialties, no established neurosurgical ERAS protocol for patients undergoing elective craniotomy has been reported in the literature. Here, the authors describe the design, implementation, safety, and efficacy of a novel neurosurgical ERAS protocol for elective craniotomy in a tertiary care medical center located in China.METHODSA multidisciplinary neurosurgical ERAS protocol for elective craniotomy was developed based on the best available evidence. A total of 140 patients undergoing elective craniotomy between October 2016 and May 2017 were enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing this novel protocol to conventional neurosurgical perioperative management. The primary endpoint of this study was the postoperative hospital length of stay (LOS). Postoperative morbidity, perioperative complications, postoperative pain scores, postoperative nausea and vomiting, duration of urinary catheterization, time to first solid meal, and patient satisfaction were secondary endpoints.RESULTSThe median postoperative hospital LOS (4 days) was significantly shorter with the incorporation of the ERAS protocol than that with conventional perioperative management (7 days, p < 0.0001). No 30-day readmission or reoperation occurred in either group. More patients in the ERAS group reported mild pain (visual analog scale score 1-3) on postoperative day 1 than those in the control group (79% vs. 33%, OR 7.49, 95% CI 3.51-15.99, p < 0.0001). Similarly, more patients in the ERAS group had a shortened duration of pain (1-2 days; 53% vs. 17%, OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.29-1.37, p = 0.0001). The urinary catheter was removed within 6 hours after surgery in 74% patients in the ERAS group (OR 400.1, 95% CI 23.56-6796, p < 0.0001). The time to first oral liquid intake was a median of 8 hours in the ERAS group compared to 11 hours in the control group (p < 0.0001), and solid food intake occurred at a median of 24 hours in the ERAS group compared to 72 hours in the control group (p < 0.0001).CONCLUSIONSThis multidisciplinary, evidence-based, neurosurgical ERAS protocol for elective craniotomy appears to have significant benefits over conventional perioperative management. Implementation of ERAS is associated with a significant reduction in the postoperative hospital stay and an acceleration in recovery, without increasing complication rates related to elective craniotomy. Further evaluation of this protocol in large multicenter studies is warranted.Clinical trial registration no.: ChiCTR-INR-16009662 (chictr.org.cn).