ERAS Protocols in Breast Conserving Surgery

Overview

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have been of increasing interest in the surgical community for decades. The emphasis has been development of protocols to maximize pain control post-operatively without the use of opioids. While this approach has been studied extensively in the oncology surgery literature, little data exists on the utility of ERAS protocols in the setting of breast conserving surgery (BCS), which is a type of surgery to remove breast cancer while saving as much of the breast as possible. The purpose of this study is to determine the utility of implementing ERAS protocols in breast cancer patients undergoing breast conserving surgery. Study participants will be randomized to either ERAS protocol or standard peri-operative care without ERAS. The study will assess the how many opioid prescriptions are given in the first week after surgery and how much pain participants report right after surgery. Investigators will also look at how long participants stay in the recovery room and if medicine for nausea is needed.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have been of increasing interest in the surgical community for decades. The emphasis has been development of protocols to maximize pain control post-operatively without the use of opioids. While this approach has been studied extensively in the oncology surgery literature, little data exists on the utility of ERAS protocols in the setting of breast conserving surgery (BCS). The study aims to enroll 260 participants undergoing breast conserving surgery (lumpectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy) for cT1-T3 N0 breast cancer. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the ERAS protocol or standard peri-operative care without ERAS. The ERAS protocol is comprised of celecoxib 200mg, morning and evening, and an oral carbohydrate drink and acetaminophen 1000mg in the evening the day before surgery and an oral carbohydrate drink (2-4 hours before surgery), celecoxib 200mg and acetaminophen 1000mg the morning of surgery. Participants in the standard care arm will receive routine peri-operative instructions without ERAS interventions. The study's primary objectives are to determine the proportion of participants receiving an opioid prescription within 7 days after surgery and to evaluate the participant-reported pain levels in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The secondary objectives are to determine the length of stay in PACU and the use of anti-emetic medications in PACU. The study uses a non-inferiority design to test if standard care without ERAS is not significantly worse than ERAS for opioid use and pain scores. Statistical comparisons will look at proportions and averages between the ERAS and standard care groups, with additional analysis based on tumor size.