Fast-track in abdominal aortic surgery: experience in over 1,000 patients.

Background: Fast-track recovery programs have led to reduced patient morbidity and mortality after surgery. Minimally invasive surgery and anesthesia, with programs of early postoperative recovery are the main aspects of fast-track recovery programs. The optimization of pain control, early mobilization, and oral feeding allows for a rapid functional rehabilitation, which leads to minor morbidity and early discharge from the hospital to home.

Fast-track approach in abdominal aortic surgery: left subcostal incision with blended anesthesia.

Objectives: The introduction of fast-tracking multidisciplinary programs allows good results in postoperative outcome in many surgical specialties. We evaluated a multimodal clinical program (based on mininvasive surgery, epidural anesthesia and early mobilization and feeding) in abdominal aortic surgery.

Methods: Between June 2000 and October 2005, 323 unselected patients were treated for atherosclerotic aorto-iliac occlusive disease (aorto-femoral bypass) and aortic or aorto-iliac aneurysm (aorto-aortic graft or aorto-iliac bifurcated graft).