Reducing complication rates and hospital readmissions while revising the enhanced recovery after bariatric surgery (ERABS) protocol

Background To optimize the postoperative phase following bariatric surgery, the enhanced recovery after bariatric surgery pathway (ERABS) has been developed. The aim of ERABS is to create a care path that is as safe, efficient and patient-friendly as possible. Continuous evaluation and optimization of ERABS are important to ensure a safe treatment path and may result in better outcomes. The objective of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing bariatric surgery over 2014–2017, during which the ERABS protocol was continuously evaluated and optimized. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study. Data were collected from patients undergoing a primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy between January 2014 and December 2017. Outcomes were early complications, unplanned hospital revisits, readmissions, duration of surgery and length of hospital stay. Results 2889 patients underwent a primary bariatric procedure in a single center. There was a significant decrease in minor complications over the years from 7.0 to 1.9% ( p