Pediatric anesthesia & critical care
Enhanced Recovery after Surgery: Implementation in the Preoperative and Postoperative Management of Children Undergoing Cardiac Surgery Is Low and Differs Across European Centers
Authors' conclusion
ERACS implementation for children undergoing cardiac surgery varies substantially among the responding centers and is overall low, particularly during the preoperative period. ERACS centers show a higher implementation of measures such as a liberal approach to preoperative fasting and early drain removal but lack in other measures, such as preoperative treatment of anemia and assessment of nutritional status.
Study context
- Population
- Lead anesthesiologists of active European pediatric cardiac surgical centersof 89 centers (43%)
- Participants
- 42 participants
- Exposure
- Enhanced Recovery After Cardiac Surgery (ERACS) centers vs non-ERACS centers
- ERACS centersn = 16
- Outcome
- Degree of implementation of ERACS preoperatively and postoperatively in pediatric cardiac surgery
Methodological detailsprospective, 79-item, web-based survey, Intraoperative phase results reported previously, Survey endorsed by the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Intensive Care
- Prospective
- 79-item
- Web-based survey
- Intraoperative phase results reported previously
- Survey endorsed by the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Intensive Care
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Implementation of ERACS
- Centers reporting implemented ERACS protocols
- 16 (38.1%)
- Preoperative anemia assessment
- 73.8%
- Clear fluid fasting <1 hour, ERACS vs other centers
- 50% v 26.9%
- Light meal fasting <4 hours, ERACS vs other centers
- 62.5% v 26.9%
- Preoperative nutritional status assessment, overall
- 42.9%
- Preoperative nutritional status assessment, ERACS centers
- 18.8%
- Drain removal within 12 hours, ERACS vs other centers
- 33.3% v 4.8%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Enhanced Recovery after Surgery: Implementation in the Preoperative and Postoperative Management of Children Undergoing Cardiac Surgery Is Low and Differs Across European Centers. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. Published 16 July 2025. doi:10.
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