AUA 2017: Is compliance to an enhanced recovery protocol after radical cystectomy associated with improved post operative outcomes?

Boston, MA (UroToday.com) Enhanced recovery after surgery has been shown to shorten length of stay for patients undergoing radical cystectomy. The objective of this study was to confirm the compliance with an enhanced recovery program was associated with post-operative outcomes. They used a composite compliance score to determine if 18 interventions were associated with the improved outcomes for 303 patients.

Patients who had higher scores indicating a higher compliance were younger, had less blood transfusions, and shorter operative times. Multivariate analysis demonstrated higher compliance was associated with shorter length of stay, reduced GI complications (p<0.01) and 30-day high grade complications (0.026).

This is the latest study to confirm the benefits of an enhanced recovery pathway. Patients continue to demonstrate significant benefit from adherence to evidence based pathways to improve their perioperative care. This is the second study like this done this year that demonstrated quality improvement in cystectomy care with a compliance score for patients on enhanced recovery. Continued quality improvement for patients undergoing cystectomy is essential in improvement of the ultimate outcomes.

Presented By: Saum Ghodoussipour, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Written By:
Janet Baack Kukreja, MD, MPH, Urologic Oncology Fellow, Department of Urology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Ashish M. Kamat, MD, MBBS, FACS, Wayne B. Duddlesten Professor, Cancer Research, Department of Urology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX

at the 2017 AUA Annual Meeting - May 12 - 16, 2017 – Boston, Massachusetts, USA