Cardiac Surgery ERAS
Cardiac surgery as a subspecialty has a well-established tradition of seeking improvements in patient outcomes through evidence-based protocols and generation of clinical practice guidelines. Though formal enhanced recovery programs have been slower to develop, it is an area of significant interest and rapid growth within the cardiac surgical community. Patients undergoing a wide array of cardiac procedures present unique challenges, but also exciting opportunities, for developing comprehensive enhanced recovery strategies. This chapter describes the special considerations that must be considered while applying enhanced recovery principals to the cardiac surgical patient. Successful design and implementation can only be achieved through collaboration between patients and the broad range of individuals who make up the multidisciplinary healthcare team.
