title: Fast-track pathways in colorectal surgery.
abstract: Enhanced recovery after surgery or "fast-track" pathways are a multimodal approach to the perioperative management of patients undergoing colorectal surgery designed to improve the overall quality of care. These pathways use existing evidence to streamline and standardize the perioperative management of patients to improve pain management, speed intestinal recovery, and ultimately facilitate a more rapid hospital discharge, thus minimizing complications, decreasing the use of hospital resources and health care costs, and improving overall patient care and satisfaction. Fast-track protocols are safe for patients and offer improvement in intestinal recovery and hospital discharge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Chestovich
authors.forename: Anne Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D003107:Colorectal Surgery / Q000458:organization & administration; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007902:Length of Stay; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018579:Patient Selection; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome