Welcome to your online surgery school

This online platform is designed to work in conjuction with the face to face ERAS surgical school.

You're Colorectal Nurse Specilist would now have provided you with a date to attend the face to face workshop.

This online surgery school aims to expand the knowledge around your upcoming surgery.

The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Programme (ERAS) includes aspects of the preoperative, intra-operative and postoperative care of patients undergoing surgery. Patients on Enhanced Recovery pathways recover more quickly following surgery, and so can leave hospital and get back to normal activities sooner. Enhanced recovery aims to minimise both the physical and emotional stress of major surgery.

There is a great deal of research available on ERAS which states that the sooner you get out of bed, begin to walk and start eating and drinking the quicker the recovery. This also means that YOU must play an active role, taking responsibility for your own recovery after surgery.

The approach involves

• Pre-operative advice and information

• Referral to prehabilitaion programme for optimisation prior to surgery

• Carbohydrate rich drinks before surgery (Preload)

• Tailored postoperative pain relief

• Early feeding after surgery

• Early walking after surgery

These elements speed recovery and reduce the possibility of complications such as chest infection and muscle wastage.

The ERAS Programme involves a coordinated team approach, designed by all members of the multi-disciplinary team.

It is essential that:

• The patient is in the best possible condition for surgery

• The patient has the best possible management during and after their operation

• The patient experiences the best possible post-operative rehabilitation

Bowel Cancer UK Publication - Your Operation