Application of enhanced recovery after surgery care protocol in the perioperative care of patients undergoing lumbar fusion and internal fixation.

BACKGROUND: To explore the effects and deficiencies of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) care protocol on patients undergoing lumbar fusion and internal fixation in perioperative care.

METHODS: A total of 166 patients with lumbar fusion and internal fixation were collected and divided into two groups, among which 86 patients received ERAS care protocol were attributed into ERAS group, while the other 80 patients received traditional perioperative care protocol were assigned to control group. Then, the degree of pain, self-care ability and the degree of recovery were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS), Barthel index (BI) rating scale and the Sino-version Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) questionnaire, respectively. Moreover, further analysis was performed based on patients' different age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and education of patients in ERAS group.

RESULTS: The hospitalization time and the incidence of complication in the ERAS group were obviously lower than those in control group (both, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in hospitalization expenses between the two groups (P > 0.05). The BI score of the ERAS group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05), and the percentage of ODI score in ERAS group was significantly downregulated in comparison with that in control group (P < 0.05). Intra-group analysis in ERAS showed that, compared with older patients, younger patients had higher BI scores (P < 0.05) and lower ODI scores (P < 0.05); meanwhile, overweight patients had lower BI scores (P < 0.05), and the ODI score decreased with the increase in education level of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS: ERAS care protocol can significantly shorten the hospitalization time and reduce the occurrence of postoperative complications of patients, significantly enhance the self-care ability of patients after discharge and promote the rapid recovery of patients after surgery.