Patient Information

Patient Guidelines

What is ERAS?

ERAS is short for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery. ERAS represents a new way of thinking about how we look after patients undergoing major surgery. It helps patients recover from their operation sooner, so that life can return to normal as quickly as possible. ERAS is a treatment program made up of a number of different elements based on the best available medical science. It also focuses on making sure you are actively involved in your recovery.

The main aspects are planning and preparation before admission (including improving your nutrition and physical fitness before surgery); reducing the physical stress of the operation; a structured approach to the management during your hospital stay (including pain relief and early nutrition); and getting you moving as soon as possible.

The ERAS® Society is a not for profit medical society with international experts in surgery, anaesthesia, nursing, and all other health care professionals working bedside with patients. The society publishes and updates the guidelines for best care for a series of surgical operations.

Why use ERAS?

Numerous research reports have shown that employing ERAS as opposed to traditional care has marked effects on recovery. In many surgeries recovery time can be shortened by 30% or more and complication rates after the operation by at least as much.

Who does ERAS?

Click here to see where your nearest hospital that has been trained by the ERAS® Society. Click here to find the national ERAS@Society lead centre in your country.

What does ERAS look like for the patient?

If you click here to look at patient information brochures that explain what happens to a patient undergoing an operation under ERAS care.

What makes ERAS work so well?

The protocol items is developed and run by a team of the key professionals involved; surgeons, anaesthetist, nurses, dieticians, Physiotherapists and others and they jointly keep control over the entire patient journey and audit the treatment continuously.

Patient's experience of ERASERAS®

Please see the films below to see how patients experienced an ERAS pathway in their own words. They are divided into what to expect before the operation, after the operation before they left hospital and finally what to expect after discharge.

[If you use any of the below films in presentations please be sure to credit the ERAS Society and also the following statement “Thank you to June, Connie and Tony for sharing your experience. Filmed by Stephen Punton, Stephen Preston and Annette Frederiksen. Edited and Produced by Racoon Film”.]