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Evolution of the S outhampton E nhanced R ecovery P rogramme for radical cystectomy and the aggregation of marginal gains
Author(s) -
Smith Julian,
Meng Zhao Wu,
Lockyer Richard,
Dudderidge Tim,
McGrath John,
Hayes Matthew,
Birch Brian
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1111/bju.12644
Subject(s) - cystectomy , demographics , ileus , medicine , pathological , urology , database , bladder cancer , demography , cancer , sociology , computer science
Objective To describe and assess the evolution of an enhanced recovery programme ( ERP ) for open radical cystectomy. Patients and Methods We introduced a mentored ERP for radical cystectomy in J anuary 2011. The programme underwent service evaluation and multiple changes in A ugust 2012 that we define as marginal gains. We present a retrospective review of 133 consecutive patients undergoing open radical cystectomy, grouped according to the three stages of the ERP from O ctober 2008 to A pril 2013: (1) non‐ ERP group ( O ctober 2008 to D ecember 2010): n = 69; (2) ERP ‐1 group ( J anuary 2011 to J uly 2012): n = 37; and (3) ERP ‐2 group ( A ugust 2012 to A pril 2013): n = 27. Primary outcomes were length of hospital stay ( LOS ), readmission, morbidity at 90 days using the C lavien classification system and mortality. Secondary outcomes were time to flatus, ileus rates, re‐operation rates and oncological outcomes. Results There were no differences in patient demographics among any of the groups for: age, gender, BMI , A merican S ociety of A nesthesiologists score and the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. There were no differences in readmission, morbidity and mortality rates. The overall 90‐day mortality was six patients (4.5%). There were significant differences in ileus rates between the non‐ ERP , the ERP ‐1 and the ERP ‐2 groups: 44.9% (31 patients), 29.7% (11 patients) and 14.8% (four patients), respectively ( P = 0.017). There was a significant difference in the presence of pathological lymphadenopathy in the ERP ‐2 group: non‐ ERP group, 10.1%; ERP ‐1 group, 16.2%; and ERP ‐2 group, 44.4%; P = 0.002. There was also a difference in the mean ( sd ) lymph node yield in ERP ‐2: non‐ ERP group, 8.4 (5.4) nodes; ERP ‐1, 8.2 (6.4) nodes; and ERP ‐2, 16.7 (5.4) nodes ( P < 0.001). The median (range) LOS was 14 (7–91) days, 10 (6–55) days and 7 (3–99) days in the non‐ ERP , ERP ‐1 and ERP ‐2 groups, respectively ( P < 0.001). Conclusions Auditing an already successful ERP and implementing a number of marginal gains has led to a significant decrease in the median LOS for radical cystectomy. The LOS for open radical cystectomy at U niversity H ospital S outhampton has halved. In the second phase of our ERP , our median LOS is 7 days.