If you are over 65 and facing major abdominal surgery, a new analysis brings good news. A set of care steps called Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) can get you home more than three days earlier than standard care.
Researchers combined data from 15 studies involving nearly 2,400 older patients. They found that ERAS cut the average hospital stay by 3.31 days. The approach also lowered the overall rate of complications. There was no increase in deaths or readmissions within 30 days.
ERAS includes simple changes: starting to eat and move earlier, and using fewer tubes. But the analysis had limits. Only 6 of the 15 studies reported how well patients followed the protocol, and compliance ranged from 42% to nearly 90%. So results may vary depending on how strictly the steps are followed.
Still, for older adults and their families, this is a meaningful difference. Shorter stays mean less time away from home and a lower risk of hospital-related problems. The findings suggest that ERAS is a safe and effective option for this age group.