Radical Cystectomy: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Video - Brigham and Women's Hospital

Mark A. Preston, MD, MPH, Department of Urology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), discusses the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol, and its impact on radical cystectomy patients. Radical cystectomy is the complete removal of the bladder, prostate, seminal vesicles and surrounding tissues in men. After the bladder is removed, an alternative form of urinary diversion is constructed. Radical cystectomy and urinary diversion is a procedure normally associated with significant morbidity and long hospital stays. The goal of the ERAS protocol is to reduce length-of-stay and improve patient outcomes after radical cystectomies performed either by open procedure or robotic-assisted technique. The protocol is aimed at decreasing the risk for ileus, surgical site infections, fluid overload, and associated cardiac complications. Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) is one of only a few programs in the country that has established the ERAS protocol as standard practice for all cases of elective radical cystectomy. The protocol focuses on optimizing care at each stage of the process through the coordinated efforts of urologists, anesthesiologists, nurses, physician assistants and preoperative evaluation specialists. Length-of-stay in these cases is dramatically shorter, on the order of four or five days. In contrast, lengths-of-stay following conventional radical cystectomy and urinary diversion can be seven to eight days. BWH is currently exploring other surgical specialties that may also benefit from the protocol. Learn more about Radical Cystectomy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital: https://www.brighamandwomens.org/surg... Read the Radical Cystectomy ERAS Protocol video transcript: https://www.brighamandwomens.org/surg...