title: Fast-track program in laparoscopic liver surgery: Theory or fact?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze our results after the introduction of a fast-track (FT) program after laparoscopic liver surgery in our Hepatobiliarypancreatic Unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients (43) undergoing laparoscopic liver surgery between March 2004 and March 2010 were included and divided into two consecutive groups: Control group (CG) from March 2004 until December 2006 with traditional perioperative cares (17 patients) and fast-track group (FTG) from January 2007 until March 2010 with FT program cares (26 patients). Primary endpoint was the influence of the program on the postoperative stay, the amount of re-admissions, morbidity and mortality. Secondarily we considered duration of surgery, use of drains, conversion to open surgery, intensive cares needs and transfusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups were homogeneous in age and sex. No differences in technique, time of surgery or conversion to open surgery were found, but more malignant diseases were operated in the FTG, and then transfusions were higher in FTG. Readmissions and morbidity were similar in both groups, without mortality. Postoperative stay was similar, with a median of 3 for CG vs 2.5 for FTG. However, the 80.8% of patients from FTG left the hospital within the first 3 d after surgery (58.8% for CG).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The introduction of a FT program after laparoscopic liver surgery improves the recovery of patients without increasing complications or re-admissions, which leads to a reduction of the stay and costs.
authors.affiliation: Belinda Sánchez-Pérez, José Manuel Aranda-Narváez, Miguel Angel Suárez-Muñoz, Moises elAdel-delFresno, José Luis Fernández-Aguilar, Jose Antonio Pérez-Daga, Ysabel Pulido-Roa, Julio Santoyo-Santoyo, Department of General, Digestive and Transplantation Surgery, University Regional Hospital Carlos Haya, 29010 Málaga, Spain.
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Pérez
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Aranda-Narváez
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Suárez-Muñoz
authors.forename: Moises
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eladel-Delfresno
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fernández-Aguilar
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pérez-Daga
authors.forename: Ysabel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pulido-Roa
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santoyo-Santoyo
keywords: Fast-track; Laparoscopy; Liver surgery