Overview
Support faster recovery with evidence-based recommendations to support enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery.
How we did it
Our recommendations are based on a multidisciplinary, systematic review of the current literature. We identified potential enhanced recovery interventions, extracted supporting data from published studies, and evaluated the findings through a structured, collaborative consensus process. Each recommended item includes an assessment of the quality of evidence supporting it.
Recommendations
Based on our review of the available evidence, the ERAS® Cardiac Society developed expert consensus on a 22-item set of recommendations. The recommendations are organized by phase of care: before, during, and after surgery.
This list reflects the Society’s first iteration and is not intended to be exhaustive. We continue to collaborate with patients and multidisciplinary experts worldwide to refine existing recommendations and incorporate new evidence as it emerges.
Implementation
Selecting which interventions to adopt and how to measure their impact is a foundational step in building an enhanced recovery program. Effective implementation also requires an understanding of patient needs, local context, and current practice patterns. Teams often benefit from translating evidence into standardized workflows, aligning multidisciplinary roles, and establishing processes for monitoring adherence and outcomes.
Implementation and long-term maintenance can be challenging. The ERAS® Cardiac Society continues to learn from implementation science and from other surgical specialties, with the goal of sharing practical guidance and lessons learned with cardiac surgical teams.