ArticleEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2024
Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol improves patient outcomes in free flap surgery for head and neck cancer.
Article in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Do multidisciplinary ERAS protocols improve flap reconstruction outcomes? A structured review of efficacy, implementation challenges, and specialty-driven adaptations.Frontiers in surgery · 2026Pooled it
- Unveiling Prescribing Patterns: A Systematic Review of Chronic Opioid Prescriptions After Head and Neck Cancer Surgeries.Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery · 2025Pooled it
- Clinical efficacy and outcomes of enhanced recovery after surgery for laparoscopic cervical cancer.Biomedical reports · 2026Article
- Optimizing Recovery in Head and Neck Surgery: Factors Influencing Drainage and Early Discharge.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Evaluation of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Guidance for Patients With Spinal Metastasis.Orthopaedic surgery · 2026Review
- Nurse-led glycemic control protocols in intensive care units: a scoping review.Acute and critical care · 2026Article
- Dynamic changes in serum albumin, prealbumin, and retinol-binding protein after head and neck cancer surgery: a retrospective cohort study.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Perioperative immunotherapy in resectable HNSCC: biological rationale to practical multidisciplinary implementation.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Review
- Perioperative symptom burden as an independent predictor of long-term functional and survival outcomes in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients undergoing free flap reconstruction: a retrospective cohort study.American journal of cancer research · 2026Article
- Perioperative Care of Free Flap Patients: A Scoping Review of Current Evidence.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Comparison of the efficacy of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol tailor-made for head and neck free flap oncosurgery with conventional perioperative care: A randomised clinical trial.Indian journal of anaesthesia · 2025Article
- Advancing Head and Neck Cancer Therapies: From Conventional Treatments to Emerging Strategies.Biomedicines · 2025Review
- Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Compliance and Outcomes for Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery.JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery · 2025Article
- Impact of probiotic-enriched enteral nutrition combined with an ERAS protocol on postoperative recovery and metabolic rehabilitation in laryngeal cancer patients: a single-center retrospective cohort study.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2025Article
- Assessing Donor Site Morbidity and Impact on Quality of Life in Free Flap Microsurgery: An Overview.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Patient management with Head and Neck tumors-A nationwide data collection in oral and maxillofacial surgery.Clinical oral investigations · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn recent years, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) guidelines have been developed to optimize pre-, intra-, and postoperative care of surgical oncology patients. The aim of this study was to compare management outcome of patients undergoing head and neck cancer (HNC) surgery with free flap reconstruction at our institution before and after the implementation of the ERAS guidelines.
methodsThis retrospective study comprised 283 patients undergoing HNC surgery with free flap reconstruction between 2013 and 2020. Patients operated before and after the implementation of the ERAS protocol in October 2017 formed the pre-ERAS group (n = 169), and ERAS group (n = 114), respectively.
resultsIn the pre-ERAS group the mean length of stay (LOS) and intensive care unit length of the stay (ICU-LOS) were 20 days (range 7-79) and 6 days (range 1-32), and in the ERAS group 13 days (range 3-70) and 5 days (range 1-24), respectively. Both LOS (p < 0.001) and ICU-LOS (p = 0.042) were significantly reduced in the ERAS group compared to the pre-ERAS group. There were significantly fewer medical complications in the ERAS group (p < 0.003). No difference was found between the study groups in the surgical complication rate or in the 30-day or 6-month mortality rate after surgery.
conclusionsWe found reduced LOS, ICU-LOS, and medical complication rate, but no effect on the surgical complication rate after implementation of the ERAS guidelines, which supports their use in major HNC surgery.
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