Enhanced recovery after liver surgery

Summary Introduction In a majority of cases, enhanced recovery after surgery program (ERP) leads to a reduced rate of postoperative complications and shortened hospital stays following digestive surgery. The program's preoperative, perioperative and postoperative measures are implemented by the members of a motivated multidisciplinary team. Having shown its merits in digestive surgery, ERP would be particularly useful in liver surgery due to the elevated rates of morbidity and mortality this type of operation continues to entail. The objective of this review was to evaluate the efficacy of ERP in liver surgery. Method This is a systematic narrative review of the literature on the efficacy of ERP in liver surgery by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Results Notwithstanding a number of studies (n = 30: 5 randomized trials, 14 cohort studies and 11 meta-analyses) less sizable than with regard to digestive surgery in general and colorectal surgery in particular, analysis of the literature confirms that in liver surgery, ERP is associated with an overall decrease in complications by 30 to 60%, but without improvement in the rates of hospital readmission and postoperative mortality. All of the studies report a reduction in average length of stay (ALOS) by 2.3 days and in functional recovery, a more objective indicator than ALOS, by 2.5 days. As of now, the economic impact of the ERP programs in liver surgery is neither positive nor negative, the above-mentioned savings being counterbalanced by heightened costs for material and equipment. Laparoscopic surgery is independently associated with better outcomes in terms of complications, functional recovery and ALOS; that is why it is important to incorporate this surgical approach in ERP as often as possible. Given a lack of robust evidence, Prehabilitation, which is a preoperative optimization process leading to improved functional reserve, has yet to be assigned a place in ERP programs pertaining to liver surgery. Possible roadblocks to application of an ERP program can be overcome through coordination by a team leader, a motivated multidisciplinary team, training courses and dedicated teaching sessions. Conclusion ERP is a care improvement process that has a major play to play in organization of liver surgery, and its large-scale application is to be recommended.