Efficacy of enhanced recovery after surgery for robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty in pediatric patients

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty in pediatric patients. Methods Sixty pediatric patients of both sexes with hydronephrosis, aged 3-12 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ, undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty from March 2018 to April 2019, were divided into 2 groups using a random number table method: control group (group C, n=28) and ERAS group (n=32). In ERAS group, preoperative ERAS education was carried out, the time of preoperative food and water deprivation was shortened, pediatric patients drank glucose water at 2 h before surgery, anesthetic regimen was optimized, lung protective ventilation and target-directed fluid therapy were performed, and intraoperative warming and multi-mode antiemetic measures were carried out during operation, and multi-mode analgesic measures were taken after operation, and pediatric patients received water and food intake early through the mouth and got out of bed as soon as possible after operation.In group C, the traditional concept was adopted for perioperative management.Immediately after tracheal intubation, at 30 min and 1 and 2 h after establishing pneumoperitoneum, at 5 min after the end of pneumoperitoneum and at 5 min after extubation, the airway peak pressure and tidal volume were recorded, and blood gas analysis was performed.The occurrence of cardiovascular events was recorded during surgery.The postoperative time of extubation, time of first intake, the first postoperative off-bed time, the first flatus time, time of pulling out the ureter and drainage tube, and length of hospital stay were recorded.The Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium scale was used to assess the agitation during the recovery period.The Faces Pain Scale-Revised scale was used to assess the degree of pain within 72 h after surgery.When Faces Pain Scale-Revised scale score ≥4, fentanyl 0.25 μg/kg was intravenously injected as rescue analgesic.The requirement for rescue analgesia was recorded.The overall complications were evaluated by using Clavin-Dindo grading, and postoperative complications included nausea and vomiting, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, incision infection, abdominal infection, anastomotic leakage, fever, etc. Results Compared with group C, the preoperative food and water deprivation time was significantly shortened, the time of postoperative extubation was prolonged, the postoperative length of hospital stay, time of first intake, the first postoperative off-bed time, the first flatus time, and time of pulling out the ureter were shortened, airway peak pressure was decreased at 1 and 2 h of pneumoperitoneum, arterial blood lactate concentrations were decreased at each time point of pneumoperitoneum (P 0.05). No intraoperative adverse cardiovascular events were found, and no pediatric patients required rescue analgesia after operation in two groups. Conclusion ERAS can be safely and effectively used for the pediatric patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplast. Key words: Perioperative care; Child; Robotic surgical procedures