Enhancing Recovery in Gastrointestinal and Cardiovascular Surgeries Through Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Protocols.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols aim to improve perioperative outcomes and expedite recovery across various surgical specialties. While ERAS protocols have shown significant benefits in gastrointestinal and cardiovascular surgeries, their impact and effectiveness require further synthesis. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of ERAS protocols in enhancing recovery and reducing complications in gastrointestinal and cardiovascular surgeries. High-quality studies were selected based on adherence to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and quality assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). A systematic review and meta-analysis of six high-quality studies involving 45,678 patients were conducted using databases such as PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central. Data on length of hospital stay (LOS), complications, 30-day readmissions, and mortality were extracted. Statistical analysis employed random-effects models to calculate pooled effect sizes, odds ratios (ORs), and hazard ratios. Subgroup analyses were performed based on surgery type, patient age, comorbidities, and follow-up duration. ORs for postoperative complications varied across subgroups (e.g., urgent vs. elective surgeries), with some ranges (e.g., 0.65-1.02) reflecting mixed effects; sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of pooled outcomes. Recovery times ranged from 1 to 3 days for gastrointestinal surgeries and 4 to 9 days for cardiovascular surgeries, demonstrating clinically meaningful variability. ERAS protocols showed greater recovery benefits in urgent surgeries (HR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.15-1.75) and in patients with comorbidities (HR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.33-1.96), likely due to their emphasis on rapid stabilization of perioperative care, including early mobilization and nutritional support. Heterogeneity, assessed through sensitivity analyses, ranged from moderate to substantial across subgroup analyses. ERAS protocols consistently enhance recovery outcomes, minimize complications, and reduce hospital stays in gastrointestinal and cardiovascular surgeries, demonstrating their utility in optimizing perioperative care. Future research should explore long-term outcomes and tailored implementation strategies to address patient-specific needs.