Recent advances: Management of patients in fast track surgery

摘要

Surgery is slowly undergoing revolutionary changes due to newer approaches to pain control, the introduction of techniques that reduce the perioperative stress response, and the use of minimally invasive operations. Subsequently, many surgical procedures (such as arthroscopic surgery, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, eye surgery, sterilisation procedures, herniorrhaphy, and cosmetic operations) are routinely performed on an outpatient basis. Recently published pilot studies suggest that when these newer approaches are used in patients undergoing more complex elective surgical procedures, postoperative complications can be reduced, length of hospital stay decreased, and time to recovery shortened. This review of recent advances made in this newly developing specialty of fast track surgery will emphasise techniques that facilitate early recovery after major surgical procedures.