The implementation of a pectus bar insertion enhanced recovery after surgery pathway: A quality improvement initiative.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-2024

Identifier

DOI: 10.1111/pan.14838

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum repair is associated with significant discomfort, and pain is a primary contributor to postoperative hospital length of stay. Recent advances in postoperative pain control include the use of intercostal cryoablation techniques that may now make it possible to discharge patients on the day of surgery. Unnecessary variation in patient care and noncompliance with care bundles may be a factor in extended length of stay. The global aim of this quality improvement initiative was to successfully implement an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway on patients undergoing pectus excavatum repair. The SMART aim was to have a greater than 70% compliance for the perioperative bundle elements within 1 year of the pathway implementation.

METHODS: Multiple Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were designed to create and implement an ERAS pathway for patients undergoing a pectus bar insertion procedure. This multidisciplinary pathway was designed, managed, and implemented with key stakeholders from the Departments of Evidence Based Practice, Surgery, Anesthesiology, and Perioperative Nursing. Patient characteristics, outcomes, and compliance with elements of the pathway were measured for analysis for both the baseline and post-intervention groups with monthly automated reports.

RESULTS: After implementation of the ERAS pathway, data on the first 50 patients showed a 90% compliance with the perioperative bundle elements. Mean length of stay was significantly decreased from 33 h (95% CI [28.76, 37.31]) to 18 h (95% CI [14.54, 21.70]). There were zero readmissions within 24 hours for patients who were discharged on the day of surgery.

CONCLUSION: Employing a multidisciplinary approach in both planning and execution that standardized clinician practices and minimized unnecessary variation in patient care, an ERAS pathway for pectus bar insertion has been successfully established at our institution.

Journal Title

Paediatric anaesthesia

Volume

34

Issue

5

First Page

422

Last Page

429

MeSH Keywords

Humans; Funnel Chest; Enhanced Recovery After Surgery; Quality Improvement; Pain, Postoperative; Retrospective Studies; Length of Stay

Keywords

bundle compliance; enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS); multidisciplinary collaboration; multimodal analgesia; pectus excavatum; pediatric anesthesia; quality improvement

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