Fast Track Postoperative Recovery

The “Fast Track” protocol can be applied when there is:

1- A thorough preoperative preparation:

• a. Specific diet with weight loss.
• b. Physical Exercise / Breathing Exercises
• c. Adjustment of existing medication and pathologies

2- A specific operative management:

• a. Mini-invasive anesthesia, with rapid metabolization pharmacology.
• b. Mini-invasive surgery, meticulous, without bleeding or excessive manipulations.

3- A post-operative management in the hospital with training and participation of the companion.

• a. Idem that protocol “Fast Track” described.

4- Outpatient and home care after discharge:

• a. Walking 1 hour a day after discharge
• b. Active but quiet life
• c. Control of constants every 12 hours that are sent to a control center
• d. Control of wounds or other events through shared images.
• e. Telephone of location by surgeon of the team.

The protocols of rapid post-operative recovery, Fast-Track of the Anglo-Saxons, involve the following steps:

• No use of ICU or AER after surgery.
• The patient goes directly to his room with the family.
• The patient gets up 2 hours after surgery.
• The patient walks small periods every 30 minutes.
• Drinks 3-4 hours after surgery.
• Patient is discharged 24 hours later.

This method is excellent because:

• It forces to apply a methodology of surgery and mini-invasive anesthesia.
• It is facilitated when in addition the patient has prepared conscientiously before the surgery (diet, exercise, adjustment of the medication…).
• It reduces to almost zero the possible peri-operative medical complications, characteristics of the obese patient (lung infections, urinary, wound infections, eventrations, thrombosis of different types (it does not exclude the use of thrombosis prevention with heparin…).