Research Synthesis 

Reply to the following discussion by supporting the post.  You will want to focus on their point of view, asking pertinent questions, adding to the responses by including information from other sources. Be objective, clear, and concise. 

It is important to support what you say with relevant citations in the APA format from both the course materials and outside resources. 

AB Discussion: 

 

Week 6 Discussion

Among outpatient orthopedic postoperative patients (18-85 years of age) (P), can the implementation of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol (I), compared to the absence of a standardized postoperative pain management protocol (C), improve acute pain control, reduce the incidence of opioid-related adverse effects, and promote positive patient outcomes (O) over a period of 3 months (T)?

Research Synthesis

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have been used across multiple surgical fields to improve post-operative outcomes and effectively control pain while minimizing the risk of secondary complications. Recently, more research has demonstrated the validity of ERAS in the field of orthopedic surgery. Cui et al. (2019) and Jiang et al. (2019) found a correlation between the implementation of an ERAS protocol and favorable post-operative outcomes compared to the use of conventional care pathways. Hu et al. (2019) echoed these findings with its systematic review bolstering the applicability of ERAS following orthopedic surgery. Emerging themes among these studies included enhanced patient recovery, reduced reliance on opioid pain medication, decreased incidence of postoperative complications, and adequate pain control (Hu et al., 2019). Although the evidence supporting the role of ERAS in orthopedics is apparent, unique patient needs and variations in orthopedic surgery expectations should be considered. The improvement of surgical outcomes while mitigating postoperative pain should be a primary focus of all health care systems, and ERAS has succeeded in meeting this objective (Cui et al., 2019).

References

Cui, H., Sun, Z., Ruan, J., Yu, Y., & Fan, C. (2019). Effect of enhanced recovery after surgery

(ERAS) pathway on the postoperative outcomes of elbow arthrolysis: A randomized

controlled trial. International Journal of Surgery, 68, 78-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/

j.ijsu.2019.06.010

Hu, Z. C., He, L. J., Chen, D., Li, X. B., Feng, Z. H., Fu, C. W., Xuan, J. W., Ni, W. F., & Wu,

A. M. (2019). An enhanced recovery after surgery program in orthopedic surgery: A

systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, 

14(77), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-019-1116-y

Jiang, H., Jian, X., Shangguan, Y., Qing, J., & Chen, L. (2019). Effects of enhanced recovery

after surgery in total knee arthroplasty for patients older than 65 years. Orthopaedic 

Surgery, 11, 229-235. https://doi.org/10.1111/os.12441

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