Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in Urology: Where do we go from here?

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a multidisciplinary effort and a pathway to facilitate shorter convalescence following surgery. ERAS has evolved over the years to now include over 20 components that are implemented across surgical specialties to improve care. Evidence strongly supports many components of the ERAS pathway and has shown that implementation improves outcomes while improving costs. However, proper adoption of all principles and widespread implementation are critical to achieving optimal benefits from ERAS. ERAS has become increasingly implemented in urology and with the rapid adoption of robotic surgery, there may be a synergistic role in improving recovery after surgery. Implementation has disseminated across urologic surgeries with radical cystectomy being most studied. Further standardized research reporting in urology with inclusion of robotic surgery in data reporting will further improve our understanding of the potential synergistic role between ERAS and minimally invasive robotic surgery.