Early Discharge After Robotic Colorectal Surgery (eRCS): a Prospective Observational Study

The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) scheme has improved recovery of patients by addressing the surgical stress and enabling a proactive perioperative care which has proven to decrease postoperative complications and reduce hospital stay. ERAS had a major beneficial effect in open colorectal surgery, while in laparoscopic surgery the additional benefit was somewhat less. Also, current literature is not clear if ERAS can improve operative outcomes of robotic colorectal surgery.
Starting from the already proven ERAS protocol, we aim to build a selective enhanced recovery scheme and a standardized early follow-up pathway enabling early safe discharge of low-risk patients after robotic colorectal surgery. This observational study will also design and assess the feasibility and clinical outcomes of an Early discharge Colorectal Surgery (eRCS) protocol which may be used to discharge patients in postoperative day 1 after robotic colorectal resections through close virtual and outpatient follow-up.