Randomized clinical trial of an enhanced recovery after surgery programme versus conventional care in laparoscopic Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass surgery

Background Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programmes have led to a decreased duration of hospital stay in several surgical fields, but have not been fully tested in patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) for obesity. This study aimed to investigate an ERAS programme versus standard care in these patients. Methods Between January 2013 and July 2014, patients undergoing LRYGB were randomized to ERAS or conventional care. The primary outcome was functional hospital stay, defined as the time between end of surgery and when predefined discharge criteria (pain adequately controlled, fever and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) absent, full liquid diet tolerated, mobilized and feeling fit for discharge) were met. Secondary outcomes were total length of hospital stay, 30‐day complication and mortality rates, duration of surgery, time spent on the recovery ward and health‐related quality of life. Results A total 220 patients were randomized to ERAS (110 patients) or conventional (110) care. Patients in the ERAS group had shorter functional hospital stay (17·4 versus 20·5 h; P