• Charlotte Iben Marx, Tina Rasmussen, Dorthe Hjort Jakobsen, Christian Ottosen, Lene Lundvall, Bent S Ottesen, Torben Callesen, and Henrik Kehlet.
• H:S Rigshospitalet, Juliane Marie Centret, Gynaekologisk Klinik, Enhed for Kirurgisk Patofysiologi og Anaestesiafdelingen, København Ø. charlotte.marx@rh.hosp.dk
• Ugeskr. Laeg. 2006 Apr 10;168(15):1533-6.

IntroductionIntroduction of principles for postoperative multimodal rehabilitation (fast track surgery) has decreased hospital stay from about 8-10 days to 2-4 days after colonic resection. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a similar fast track regimen in patients operated for ovarian cancer.Method72 consecutive patients operated with a conventional perioperative treatment regimen (group 1) were compared with the initial 69 consecutive patients (group 2) with a multimodal rehabilitation regimen and the next 50 consecutive patients (group 3) where the fast track regimen was implemented as a routine.ResultsPatients demographics and surgical characteristics were comparable between groups. Median postoperative hospital stay was reduced from six days in group 1, to five days in group 2, and four days in group 3 (p < 0,05). Surgical complications were similar while medical complications were reduced from 12% to 1% (p < 0,05) and readmissions from 10% to 2% (p < 0,05) with the fast track regimen.ConclusionPrinciples for postoperative multimodal rehabilitation from colonic surgery lead to faster rehabilitation, decreased risk of medical complications and hospital stay in patients operated for ovarian cancer.

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