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Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS)

At Monroe Carell, we learn from every surgery we do, continually and carefully reviewing data to make processes, recovery and outcomes better for the patients we serve. We use what we learn to create protocols called Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS). The ways we deliver care before, during, and after surgeries helps your child by decreasing the amount of preparation before a procedure, reducing pain and getting them up and active again sooner.

ERAS is a way of sharing decision making about your child's health care with you. We work with other surgical specialists at Monroe Carell to reduce costs, improve outcomes, ensure the highest quality of care and pain control, and improve your and your child's experience in the hospital.

  • Some of the ways this may look for your child, depending on their procedure, are:
  • Counseling to help you and your child know what to expect
  • Less fasting before a procedure, allowing clear liquid carbohydrates up until two hours before surgery
  • Early introduction of food after surgery via mouth or gastric tube, to prevent nausea and vomiting
  • Earlier removal of tubes and monitors
  • Early encouragement to get up and move after surgery
  • Improving pain control by combining various pain medications, minimizing the use of opioids using targeted pain relief like nerve blocks when appropriate
  • Returning your child to normal diet and closely monitoring regular bowel movements

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