Enhanced Recovery After Surgery

When you need surgery, one of the most important things, as a patient, is getting back to feeling normal as quickly as possible and enjoying life’s regular activities.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery is a Nebraska Medicine program with the primary goal of promoting a safe, quicker recovery time so you can get back to doing the things you enjoy, sooner. Our team of Enhanced Recovery specialists include your surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses, nutritionists, and therapists. We will partner with you to make sure everything possible is done to improve your surgical experience and help with your recovery. Because surgery can be stressful for anyone who goes through it, the goal of nearly all the Enhanced Recovery measures is to lower your stress. We do this in several ways and throughout the course of your treatment.

Before your surgery, your Enhanced Recovery team will provide information about your surgery, recovery and the time you’ll spend in the hospital. By improving our communication with you, you’ll be better prepared and will know what to expect during the course of your stay. Also, we will work together with you to identify any medical problems you may have. Your team will determine if those conditions should be treated before surgery. Special carbohydrate drinks may also be used to help give your body energy to recover. Allowing food and drink earlier after surgery allows the body to reocover more quickly giving you the nutrition needed to heal.

During surgery, we will use different types of pain medicines and regional anesthesia techniques to decrease the need for narcotics. The side effects of narcotics can lead to a prolonged hospital stay, so these are avoided whenever possible. In the operating room, minimally invasive techniques are used, and surgical drains and tubes are also avoided when possible. IV fluids will be carefully monitored to make sure you are not given too much or too little during your surgery. Short-acting anesthesia medicines will be used to make sure you have a more rapid recovery once surgery is completed.

Following your procedure, you will be encouraged to return to a normal diet as soon as possible. Getting up early and walking after surgery is one of the most crucial things you can do. Walking promotes the flow of oxygen, improves blood flow and helps your stomach and bowel (Gastrointestinal) function. Your team will work with you to get out of bed safely and walk on the day of surgery. This is a very important part of your recovery process. Know that some pain after surgery is normal. There are many methods you can use to control your pain. Your team will help you find the right combination to make you as comfortable as possible after surgery.

These are only some of the ways that we at Nebraska Medicine seek to enhance your recovery after surgery. Know that every decision made with you - about your health during your surgical care - is made with the goal of improving your return to good health and getting you back to the things in life that you enjoy the most. Thank you for trusting Nebraska Medicine with your care.