About Us
The aim of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Programme is to get you back to full health as quickly as possible after your operation. Following colorectal surgery, research has shown that the earlier you are out of bed, and start eating and drinking, the better. This will speed your recovery and make complications less likely to develop. To achieve this we need you to be a partner with us so that we can work together to speed up your recovery.
While you are waiting to come in for your operation, it is very important to try and prepare for your surgery. The following are ways that you can help prepare yourself physically.
- Diet. A good healthy diet is important to help prepare your body for surgery. Try and eat a well-balanced and varied diet.
- The fitter you are prior to surgery, the quicker and easier your recovery will be. It is important to ensure that you are as fit as you can be in preparation for your surgery.
- Practice with your incentive spirometer 2-3 times a day. This will reduce the likelihood of developing a chest infection.
This booklet gives you information on what to expect before your operation, fasting instructions and hospital admission. It also explains what your post operative recovery may look like in the hospital and once you are discharged home.
Click to download word document ERAS patient info booklet
This document has been developed by the physiotherapist team in DGRI and gives examples of some exercises you could try before your operation.
If you’ve not done much physical activity for a while, you may want to get the all-clear from a GP before starting.
After your procedure the healthcare team wants you to be as comfortable as possible. This document gives you information about the various forms of pain relief you may be offered. Although none of them can be guaranteed to make you absolutely pain free, they should help you not to be in a lot of pain after the procedure.
Reducing high fat or sugary foods can lead to weight loss and eating a healthy balanced diet can help reduce infection complications and aid recovery. Aim to eat a high protein balanced diet, as this will help with your post operative recovery. If you are diabetic, please try to keep your blood sugar levels within their normal limits on the lead up to your surgery and after surgery.
Alcohol can have many effects on the body, but importantly it can reduce the livers ability to produce the building blocks necessary for healing. If you drink regularly you should make sure you are drinking within the recommended limits or lower. If you drink more than this, you should also aim to cut down before your operation to improve your body’s ability to heal after surgery and to avoid withdrawal symptoms during your stay in hospital.
Stopping smoking is hard, but the good news is that quitting or cutting down shortly before surgery can reduce your length of stay in hospital and improve wound healing and lung function. Preparing for surgery offers a real opportunity to commit to stop smoking.
Contact
Enhanced Recovery Nurse
Telephone 01387 246246 (extension 32412) Monday to Thursday 9am – 4pm
Ward B3 – 01387 246246 (extension 76330)
Ward D9 – 01387 246246 (extension 76390)
Pre-operative assessment – 01387 246246 (extension 33366) Monday to Friday 9am – 4pm