The majority of this literature derives from the study of patients undergoing colorectal surgery , but increasingly enhanced recovery is spreading to other surgical specialties .
The combination of reduced length of hospital stay ( a surrogate for morbidity ) with no increase in readmissions to hospital suggests that morbidity is reduced with enhanced recovery .
Inconsistency in morbidity reporting limits the value of pooling data between studies , but within study comparisons in general support this conclusion .
Patients adhering to an  enhanced recovery programme  return to normal function faster than those following traditional care pathways .
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this review is to summarize important publications in  enhanced recovery during 2010 - 2011 and to highlight key themes .
Impact of fast-track postoperative care on intestinal function, pain, and length of hospital stay after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Postoperative recovery of intestinal function , ability to ambulate , and effective pain management are main features to establish an effective fast-track surgery model . We investigated pain scores , ambulation rate , and recovery of intestinal function in a cohort of patients who were undergoing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy ( LRP ) .  PATIENTS AND METHODS Fifty patients who underwent LRP in our institution were r and omized to receive either  conventional  or  fast-track postoperative care . Postoperative intestinal function was quantified by clinical signs of intestinal motility . Ambulation data were collected by means of step-count devices . Pain scores were measured by a visual analog scale . Overall satisfaction and additional measures to describe patient satisfaction with the clinical course were used as quality -of-life variables . RESULTS Fast-track patients had significantly earlier propulsive intestinal motility without increased intestinal complications . Enforced mobilization led to a significantly shorter period to first deflation/defecation . Despite significantly increased ambulation rates in the fast-track group , these patients reported significantly less pain sentience during a significantly shorter hospital stay . Overall satisfaction was significantly higher in the fast-track cohort during the hospital stay . CONCLUSION With the implementation of fast-track concepts for LRP , patients can be discharged to home earlier with fewer complications , lower pain scores , and an overall higher satisfaction with life
The majority of this literature derives from the study of patients undergoing colorectal surgery , but increasingly enhanced recovery is spreading to other surgical specialties .
The combination of reduced length of hospital stay ( a surrogate for morbidity ) with no increase in readmissions to hospital suggests that morbidity is reduced with enhanced recovery .
Inconsistency in morbidity reporting limits the value of pooling data between studies , but within study comparisons in general support this conclusion .
Patients adhering to an  enhanced recovery programme  return to normal function faster than those following traditional care pathways .
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this review is to summarize important publications in  enhanced recovery during 2010 - 2011 and to highlight key themes .