Association of adherence to the enhanced recovery after surgery pathway and outcomes after laparoscopic total gastrectomy

The current study used a composite outcome to investigate whether applying the ERAS protocol would enhance the recovery of patients undergoing laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG). Laparoscopic total gastrectomy and perioperative interventions were the exposure. An ERAS clinical pathway consisting of 14 items was implemented and assessed. Patients were divided into either ERAS-compliant or non-ERAS-compliant group according the adherence above 9/14 or not. The primary study outcome was a composite outcome called ‘optimal postoperative recovery’ with the definition as below: discharge within 6 days with no sever complications and no unplanned re-operation or readmission within 30 days postoperatively. Univariate logistic regression analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to model optimal postoperative recovery and compliance, adjusting for patient-related and disease-related characteristics. A total of 252 patients were included in this retrospective study, 129 in the ERAS compliant group and 123 in the non-ERAS-compliant group. Of these, 79.07