patient preparing for surgery at yavapai regional medical center

Enhance Your Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)

Yavapai Reginoal Medical Center is dedicated to optimizing your surgical experience through Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS). This evidence-based surgical approach is designed to significantly improve post-operative recovery for patients. With ERAS protocols, you can anticipate faster recovery times, reduced post-surgical pain, and a quicker return to your daily activities following your surgical procedure. Our multidisciplinary ERAS team – comprising your surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses, and other healthcare professionals – collaborates closely, placing you at the center of your personalized recovery journey.

Understanding Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) represents a comprehensive approach applied throughout your surgical journey – from pre-operative preparation, through the intra-operative phase, and into post-operative recovery.

This isn't a single technique, but rather a synergistic combination of ERAS strategies designed to minimize the physical stress a surgical procedure places on your body. Consider ERAS protocols as a personalized, optimized pathway engineered to facilitate faster healing and more efficient post-surgical recovery.

How ERAS Benefits You

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) offers significant advantages designed to improve your post-surgical experience at Yavapai Regional Medical Center. Our ERAS program aims to deliver:

  • Faster Surgical Recovery: Accelerate your return to daily life and activities.
  • Fewer Post-Surgical Complications: Minimize the risk of common post-operative issues, enhancing overall patient safety.
  • Reduced Post-Operative Pain: Experience less discomfort and decreased reliance on strong pain medications, promoting better pain management after surgery.
  • Shorter Hospital Stays: Often enables earlier hospital discharge, getting you home sooner.

  • Improved Overall Well-being: Support holistic recovery, both physically and emotionally, throughout your ERAS journey."

patient talking with doctor and nurse preparing for surgery

  • Before Surgery: Essential ERAS Preparation Steps

    Our ERAS approach emphasizes comprehensive pre-operative preparation to optimize your body for surgical procedures. Key components include:

    • Patient Education: Receive clear, detailed pre-surgical information about your upcoming surgery, recovery expectations, and how you can actively participate in your ERAS preparation. This often includes a dedicated pre-op nursing appointment.
    • Nutritional Optimization: Focus on well-balanced meals rich in protein to support tissue recovery and enhance post-surgical healing. Proper pre-operative nutrition is crucial.
    • Health Optimization: Our team collaborates with you to effectively manage any existing medical conditions prior to your surgical intervention.
    • Pre-Hab Exercises: Begin your recovery journey early with gentle daily movement, often termed 'pre-habilitation' or pre-hab exercises. Even a 15-minute walk can significantly boost your strength and endurance for surgical recovery.

    • Carbohydrate Loading: We may recommend a specialized carbohydrate-rich drink before surgery to help sustain energy levels and reduce post-operative fatigue.

  • During Surgery: ERAS Strategies for Reduced Stress

    Our commitment to your Enhanced Recovery After Surgery extends to the intra-operative phase, meticulously employing techniques to minimize surgical stress:

    • Advanced Anesthesia Techniques: Our expert anesthesiologists utilize state-of-the-art anesthesia protocols designed to reduce post-operative pain and nausea, contributing to a smoother surgical recovery.

    • Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS): Whenever clinically appropriate, our surgeons employ minimally invasive techniques to reduce tissue damage, leading to less pain and faster healing. This includes specialized procedures like laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery.

  • After Surgery: Comprehensive ERAS Post-Operative Care

    Following your surgical procedure, our ERAS program focuses on active post-operative care to accelerate your return to health:

    • Early Mobilization: We strongly encourage early post-surgical movement as soon as medically safe. For inpatient surgery patients, nurses will assist with sitting for meals and short walks within the unit multiple times daily. Early ambulation significantly improves circulation, reduces post-operative complication risks, and speeds up surgical recovery.
    • Multimodal Pain Management: Our approach employs multimodal pain management strategies, combining various types of pain relief medications to effectively control discomfort while minimizing reliance on opioids, crucial for post-surgical comfort.
    • Nutritional Recovery & Digestion: We encourage you to consume fluids and food as tolerated post-surgery. Gum chewing can also stimulate your digestive system, aiding in its recovery and alleviating bloating and discomfort.

    • Thorough Discharge Planning: Our team works diligently to ensure a smooth and well-prepared transition home after surgery, providing you with all necessary instructions for continued ERAS recovery.

If you have questions about ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) or how it applies to your surgery, don't hesitate to give your surgeon's office or our Pre-admission team a call. We're happy to answer any questions and guide you through your recovery!