Abstract PD6-2: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway reduces hospital stay and narcotic use in microsurgical breast reconstruction
Authors: Ochoa Oscar , Rajan Meenakshi , Chrysopoulo Minas , Pisano Steven , Ledoux Peter , Arishita Gary , Garza Ramon , Nastala Chet 
Published: March 2020

Introduction: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways strive to minimize surgical stress and restore normal physiological function through the implementation of standardized and streamlined protocols. ERAS pathways have shown benefits in many surgical populations including cardiac, colorectal, urology and general surgery by aiming to accelerate recovery and reduce post-operative morbidity. As microsurgical breast reconstruction continues to become more popular, study objectives aim to determine possible benefits of ERAS pathway implementation during abdominal-based free flap breast reconstruction related to post-operative narcotic use and health-care resource utilization.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients undergoing abdominal-based free flap breast reconstruction from Nov 2015 to April 2018 was performed. Study populations were defined relative to uniform implementation of an ERAS pathway, which included preoperative counseling, optimization of nutrition, perioperative fluid management, early mobilization, and multimodal analgesia. Patient age, medical comorbidities, and BMI were recorded preoperatively. Procedural characteristics and immediate postoperative morbidity were recorded along with length of hospitalization. Utilization of narcotics was standardized for the entire hospitalization by determining morphine milligram equivalents.

Results: During the study period, 409 patients met inclusion criteria. The pre-ERAS group was comprised of 205 patients, while 204 patients were managed via ERAS pathway. Mean age, laterality (unilateral vs. bilateral), timing (immediate vs. delayed) of reconstruction, and number of previous abdominal surgeries were similar (p &gt; 0.05) between both groups. Mean BMI (30.4 ± 4.8 vs. 29 ± 5.1) and incidence of autoimmune disease (3.9% vs. 0%) were significantly higher (p &lt; 0.05) in the pre-ERAS group. Mean operative time (minutes) between both groups (450.1 ± 92.7 vs. 440.7 ± 93.5) was similar (p &gt; 0.05). Incidence of vascular thrombosis (6 (2.9%) vs. 5 (2.5%)), hematoma (4 (2%) vs.4 (2%)), flap loss (1 (0.5%) vs. 4 (2.%), or return to OR for any reason (10 (4.9%) vs. 8 (3.9%)) was similar (p &gt; 0.05) between pre-ERAS and ERAS groups, respectively. Mean intra-operative (58.9 ± 32.5 vs. 31.7 ± 23.4) and post-operative (129.5 ± 80.1 vs. 90 ± 93.9) morphine milligram equivalents used were significantly (p &lt; 0.001) higher in the pre-ERAS group. Mean length of stay (days) was significantly (p &lt; 0.001) longer in the pre-ERAS group (4.5 ± 0.8 vs. 3.2 ± 0.6). Bivariate linear regression analysis demonstrates operative time is positively associated with total narcotic requirements [slope (95% CI)=0.217 (0.114, 0.320)], p &lt; 0.001 and length of stay [slope (95% CI) =0.00177 (0.0008, 0.0028)], p &lt; 0.001.

Conclusion: Without detrimental effects on operative morbidity, ERAS pathways in microsurgical breast reconstruction promote reduction in intraoperative and postoperative narcotic utilization with concomitant decrease in hospital length of stay. In the current study, patients managed via ERAS pathways required 46% less intraoperative and 31% less postoperative narcotics with a 29% reduction in length of stay.

Citation Format: Oscar Ochoa, Meenakshi Rajan, Minas Chrysopoulo, Steven Pisano, Peter Ledoux, Gary Arishita, Ramon Garza III, Chet Nastala. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway reduces hospital stay and narcotic use in microsurgical breast reconstruction [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD6-2.