P-P34 Impact of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol on Short-Term Outcomes in Elderly Patients Undergoing Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Background In an effort to improve postoperative recovery and reduce complications, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways have been  introduced across a range of surgical disciplines. The demographics of patients being considered for PD have evolved over recent decades, with older patients undergoing increasingly more complex procedures. The feasibility and benefits of an ERAS protocol for elderly patients undergoing PD is debated, a recent study suggesting that age over 70 years is an independent risk factor for protocol failure . Existing studies on ERAS after PD in elderly patients are limited by small sample sizes and failure to include a pre-ERAS control. Methods 830 consecutive patients who underwent PD between January 2009 and March 2019 were divided according to age: elderly (≥75 years) vs. non-elderly patients (<75 years). Within each age group, cohort characteristics and outcomes were compared between patients treated pre- and post-ERAS (ERAS was systematically introduced in December 2012). Univariable and multivariable analysis were then performed, to assess whether ERAS was independently associated with length of hospital stay (LOS). Results Of the entire cohort, 577 of 830 patients (69.5%) were managed according to an ERAS protocol, and 170 patients (20.5%) were aged ≥ 75 years old. Patients treated post-ERAS were significantly more comorbid than those pre-ERAS, with a mean Charlson Comorbidity Index of 4.6 vs. 4.1 (p < 0.001) and 6.0 vs. 5.7 (p = 0.039) for the non-elderly and elderly subgroups, respectively. There were significantly fewer medical complications in non-elderly patients treated post-ERAS compared to pre-ERAS (12.4% vs. 22.4%; p = 0.002), but not in elderly patients (23.6% vs. 14.0%; p = 0.203). On multivariable analysis, ERAS was independently associated with reduced LOS in both elderly (14.8% reduction, 95% CI: 0.7-27.0%, p = 0.041) and non-elderly patients (15.6% reduction, 95%CI: 9.2-21.6%, p < 0.001), with the effect size being similar in each group. Conclusions ERAS protocol can be safely applied to patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy irrespective of age. ERAS is associated with a significant reduction in postoperative LOS in elderly and non-elderly patients, despite higher comorbidity in the post-ERAS period.