Dietary Survey During the First Month After Colorectal Surgery Within an Enhanced Recovery Program

For several years, we have been applying the concept of Enhanced Recovery Program (ERP) for colorectal surgery at CHU Liége (Belgium). Since October 2015, the University Hospital of Liège has been labelled as reference center for ERP after colorectal surgery by a French-speaking organization GRACE (French-speaking group for Enhanced Recovery after Surgery; www.grace-asso.fr). Despite the benefits for the patient and the economic benefits of such programs, some criticize ERP arguing that patients are asked to return home too early, while they have not recovered a satisfactory autonomy. Few studies have investigated the comfort and quality of home life of patients who have had ERP. We recently conducted a retrospective study to evaluate this quality of life. It turns out that patients report little postoperative pain, a sufficient degree of autonomy at home, and a high general satisfaction score (> 8.5 on a numerical scale of 0 to 10). However dietary and digestive difficulties were described by about one third of the patients questioned. [6] Others have also reported a caloric-protein deficit during the immediate postoperative period after colorectal surgery, up to the 7th day in some of their patients [7].

Aim of the study. The aim of this study is to assess caloric-protein intake up to one month after colorectal surgery within ERP.

General description. This observational study will quantify caloric-protein intake in 75 patients undergoing colorectal surgery according to an ERP at CHU Liège. A dietary survey will be performed preoperatively and repeated postoperatively via telephone calls on Day + 3, Day + 7; Day + 15, and Day + 30, after leaving the hospital. The deficits observed will be correlated with the medical and surgical characteristics of the patients.