Zhou et al. BMC Cancer 2011, 11:494 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/11/494 Table 1 Checklist of fast track and conventional perioperative operation treatments Page 4 of 10 Time Preadmission (After randomization) Preoperation Intraoperation -Anesthetic managemen Fast track treatment -Psychological optimism -Pre-assessment for risk adjustment -Anesthesiologic information of combined anesthesia consisting of thoracic epidural and general anesthesia -Information of the fast track treatment and the informed consent -Guided tour of fast track wards -Operation schedule -Bowel preparation: semiliquid diet 1 days before operation - Enemas: Polyethylene Glycol-Electrolyte Powder ® (Hengkang Zhengqing™, Jiangxi Hygecon Pharmacy CO., Ltd, Shangrao, CN) the afternoon before surgery,2 boxes mixing with 2,000 ml warm drinking water -Fasting: last meal 2 h before operation -Complete Enteral Nutritional Emulsion Supportan (TPF-T) ® (Supportan™, Sino-Swed Pharmaceutical CO. Ltd, Wuxi, CN) 600 ml or Fresubin Diabetes (TPF-D) ® (Fresubin Diabetes™, Sino-Swed Pharmaceutical CO. Ltd, Wuxi, CN) 500 ml (especially for patients with diabetes mellitus) p.o. 8 h before operation - Nasogastric tube 0.5 h before operation for Gastrointestinal decompression - Balanced Combination with general anesthesia: intravenous midazolam (Liyuexi™, Nhwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Xuzhou, CN) (0.1 mg/kg), target-controlled infusion (TCI) of propofol (Diprivan™, AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shanghai, CN) (4-8 μg/ml), sufentanil (Fukang™, Humanwell Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yichang, CN) (0.5-1 µg/kg), rocuronium (Esmeron™, Organon Teknika B.V., Oss, NL) (0.6-0.9 mg/kg). Anesthesia was maintained propofol TCI (2-4 μg/ ml), remifentanil (0.02-0.03 μg/kg/min) and intermittent boluses of rocuronium. Conventional treatment -No psychological optimism -Pre-assessment for risk adjustment -No Anesthesiologic information of general anesthesia -Information of the conventional treatment and the informed consent -No tour -Operation schedule -Bowel preparation: liquid diet 1-2 days before operation -Enemas: Polyethylene Glycol-Electrolyte Powder ® the afternoon before surgery, 2 boxes mixing with 2000 ml warm drinking water -Fasting: last meal 10 h before operation - No oral intake in the operation day - Nasogastric tube 0.5 h before operation for Gastrointestinal decompression - Normal General anesthesia: intravenous midazolam (0.1 mg/kg), target- controlled infusion (TCI) of propofol (4-8 μg/ml), sufentanil 0.5-1 µg/kg, rocuronium (0.6-0.9 mg/kg). - 10% Glucose 400 ml p.o. 2-3 h before operation - No oral intake in the operation day - Placement of epidural catheter (T6-L1), depending - No thoracic epidural anesthesia on the surgical resection); test-dose (3 ml of 2% lidocaine (Hefeng™, Harvest Pharmaceutical CO. Ltd, Shanghai, CN)) followed by continuous infusion (10 ml of 0.5% or 0.75% ropivacaine(Naropin™, APP Pharmaceuticals, LLC., Schaumburg, IL) according to the age and size of the patient before surgical incision The patients were ventilated mechanically. The patients were ventilated mechanically. Anesthesia was maintained propofol TCI (2-4 μg/ml), remifentanil (Ruijie™, Humanwell Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Yichang, CN) (0.02-0.03 μg/kg/min) and intermittent boluses of rocuronium.