2025, Volume 18, Issue 3, pp 229 – 234

Breaking surgical barriers: ERAS in action in Romania

SCImago Journal & Country Rank

Issues

Special Issues

Authors and Affiliations

Corresponding author Andreea-Marilena Ionescu, Department of General Surgery, Medlife Medical Park Hospital, Bucharest, Romania. E-mail: andreea_860@yahoo.com

Abstract

Implementing Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols presents challenges for healthcare systems, particularly for patients undergoing complex surgeries. Though ERAS effectively reduces postoperative complications and hospital stays, its implementation varies. Our hospital adopted the ERAS protocol in 2020. This study details specific ERAS components implemented in our clinic, emphasizing surgical and anesthetic strategies. We describe preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases and analyze the evidence for each component’s integration. Additionally, we highlight the specific challenges faced in Romania, such as funding limitations, resource constraints, and reluctance among healthcare professionals. We conducted a prospective study of 147 patients with colorectal cancer treated from 2020 to 2023, detailing the perioperative care phases and supporting evidence for protocol components. The methodology was refined to account for potential confounding factors by ensuring consistency in patient selection criteria and perioperative management. Despite ERAS’s advantages, patients and staff resisted its implementation. In Romanian hospitals, colorectal surgery uses ERAS only in limited cases due to inadequate funding, insufficient medical personnel, logistical challenges, and a lack of awareness or skepticism among healthcare professionals and patients. The study presents specific clinical outcomes, including length of hospital stay (LOS), postoperative complications, and readmission rates among ERAS patients. We recommend expanding medical networks and utilizing advanced technologies like telemedicine services and home-based care to improve ERAS protocol adherence. Furthermore, educational programs are essential to increase awareness and compliance with ERAS principles among patients and healthcare providers.

Keywords

About this article

PMC ID: 12022733
PubMed ID: 
DOI: 10.25122/jml-2025-0034

Article Publishing Date (print): 3 2025
Available Online: 

Journal information

ISSN Printing: 1844-122X
ISSN Online: 1844-3117
Journal Title: Journal of Medicine and Life

Copyright License: Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.


SCImago Journal & Country Rank

Issues

Special Issues