Enhanced postoperative recovery pathways in emergency surgery: a randomised controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Enhanced recovery pathways are now widely used in elective surgical procedures. The feasibility of enhanced postoperative recovery pathways in emergency surgery for perforated peptic ulcer disease was investigated in this randomized controlled clinical trial.

METHODS: Patients with perforated peptic ulcer disease who underwent laparoscopic repair were randomized into 2 groups. Group 1 patients were managed with standard postoperative care and group 2 patients with enhanced postoperative recovery pathways. The primary endpoints were the length of hospital stay and morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were included in the study. There were 26 patients in group 1 and 21 in group 2. There were no significant differences in the morbidity and mortality rates, whereas the length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in group 2.

CONCLUSIONS: The application of enhanced postoperative recovery pathways in selected patients with perforated peptic ulcer disease who undergo laparoscopic Graham patch repair seems feasible.