Anatomic Lung Resection Outcomes After Implementation of a Universal Thoracic ERAS Protocol Across a Diverse Health Care System.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to evaluate how implementing a thoracic enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol impacted surgical outcomes after elective anatomic lung resection.

BACKGROUND

The effect of implementing the ERAS Society/European Society of Thoracic Surgery thoracic ERAS protocol on postoperative outcomes throughout an entire health care system has not yet been reported.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study within one health care system (January 2019-March, 2023). A thoracic ERAS protocol was implemented on May 1, 2021 for elective anatomic lung resections, and postoperative outcomes were tracked using the electronic health record and Vizient data. The primary outcome was overall morbidity; secondary outcomes included individual complications, length of stay, opioid use, chest tube duration, and total cost. Patients were grouped into pre-ERAS and post-ERAS cohorts. Bivariable comparisons were performed using independent t -test, χ 2 , or Fisher exact tests, and multivariable logistic regression was performed to control for confounders.

RESULTS

There were 1007 patients in the cohort; 450 (44.7%) were in the post-ERAS group. Mean age was 66.2 years; most patients were female (65.1%), white (83.8%), had a body mass index between 18.5 and 29.9 (69.7%), and were ASA class 3 (80.6%). Patients in the postimplementation group had lower risk-adjusted rates of any morbidity, respiratory complication, pneumonia, surgical site infection, arrhythmias, infections, opioid usage, ICU use, and shorter postoperative length of stay (all P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative outcomes were improved after the implementation of an evidence-based thoracic ERAS protocol throughout the health care system. This study validates the ERAS Society/European Society of Thoracic Surgery guidelines and demonstrates that simultaneous multihospital implementation can be feasible and effective.