Enhanced Recovery After Surgery: Modern Standards in Perioperative Care

Abstract

Background: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols represent multimodal and multidisciplinary perioperative care pathways designed to reduce the physiological stress response to surgery, accelerate postoperative recovery, improve patient safety, and standardize clinical practice. The fast-track concept was first described in colorectal surgery and later developed into broader ERAS pathways that have been adapted to gastrointestinal, bariatric, thoracic, gynecologic, urologic, orthopedic, plastic, cardiac, and spine surgery . Aim: The aim of this narrative review was to summarize the current role of ERAS protocols as modern standards in perioperative care, with particular attention to their key components, clinical outcomes, safety profile, implementation challenges, and relevance across different surgical specialties . Materials and Methods: This narrative review was prepared on the basis of 30 peer-reviewed publications concerning ERAS protocols in different surgical settings . The analyzed studies included narrative reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, retrospective and prospective cohort studies, quality-improvement reports, and observational implementation studies. The synthesis focused on common ERAS components, postoperative length of stay, complications, readmissions, mortality, opioid use, gastrointestinal recovery, patient experience, and economic outcomes. No original patient data were collected, and no meta-analysis was performed in the present review.