title: Fast track rehabilitation programme enhances functional recovery after laparoscopic colonic resection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fast track (IT) rehabilitation programmes have demonstrated advantages over traditional perioperative care after open colonic surgery; however. their contribution in recovery after laparoscopic colonic surgery is not clearly defined. This study was conducted to estimate the value of FT rehabilitation programme in laparoscopic colonic resections.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a randomized prospective controlled clinical trial. Ninety-nine consecutive patients underwent elective laparoscopic colonic resection between February 2008 and March 2009. Forty-nine patients received FT multimodal rehabilitation programme as FT group and 50 patients underwent traditional perioperative care as non-FT group. Postoperative hospital stay, return of gastrointestinal function, postoperative complications were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative hospital stay was shorter in the FT group, a median duration of 4.0 days versus 5.0 days in the non-FT group (p<0.01). Gastrointestinal functional recovery occurred 1 day earlier in FT group (passage of flatus after 2.0 days vs. 3.0 days, p<0.01). There were no significant differences in complications within 30 postoperative days (12% in FT group vs. 20% in non-FT group, p=0.295).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When applied after laparoscopic colonic surgery, FT rehabilitation programme is feasible, safe and may lead to accelerated functional recovery and reductions in postoperative hospital stay.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Feng-Tao
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hua-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Jie-Shou
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D003082:Colectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003106:Colon / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome