New Ways To Get A Quick Post Operative Recovery

New post-operative recovery techniques, introduced in Europe and now being adopted in many hospitals across the USA has made dramatic improvements in how fast patients recover from major operations, like hip or knee replacement, heart, colorectal and abdominal surgeries.
Experts say these new procedures called as Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)- not only speed healing with fewer complications , but also result in patients having less pain and spending less time in the hospital.
A study of colorectal surgical patients at the University of Virginia Medical Center, published that ERAS procedures cut  hospital stay for patients by more than 2 days , decreased complication rate by 17% and increased patient satisfaction with pain control by 55%.
A few of the key elements of ERSA are described below:

1. Encouraging More Fluids: Traditionally patients were told not to eat or drink after midnight before surgery in order to empty the stomach, so that they won't vomit while under general anesthesia. But because of this starving, the body gets the nutrition by breakdown of own body cells. It turns out the the energy that is needed to recover quick after a surgery is already depleted while fasting preoperative. The new recommendations allow patients to eat solids up to six hours before surgery and to drink clear liquids containing electrolytes and carbohydrates up to two hours before surgery to aid in recovery.

2. Pre medicating With Non Narcotics: In addition to being potentially addictive, postoperative narcotic painkillers can complicate recovery by slowing bowel function and causing dizziness. A dizzy patient is more inclined to fall and feel clumsy after a surgery. The ERSA recommendations include analgesic pain medications given before surgery as well as non narcotic pain relief delivered by catheter directly into surgical site.

3. Walking More: Getting out of bed within 24 hours after having a major surgery is better than a prolonged bed rest.
Immobility is tremendously hazardous to the health and post operative recovery. Standing and Walking around soon after surgery helps patients use their lungs more which in turn prevents the complication of post operative pneumonia. It also helps patients regain bowel function more quickly and reduces the need for pain medications.