Introduction:

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs, also known as “surgical multimodal rehabilitation” or “fast-track,” are perioperative strategies to improve postoperative recovery safely.

Objective:

To assess the knowledge and practical application of current scientific evidence that supports enhanced postoperative recovery programs.

Methods:

A qualitative investigation was carried out in five general surgery services of university hospitals in the capital of Cuba. An anonymous questionnaire was applied to 107 specialist physicians, as well as residents from the third and fourth academic years.

Results:

40% of the respondents did not have any knowledge about the existence of multimodal rehabilitation programs. The evidences related to nasogastric decompression, preoperative fasting and mechanical preparation of the colon were the least known, with percentages of responses not in accordance with current evidence, being of 62.2%, 50.1% and 50.1%, respectively.

Conclusions:

Important current scientific evidences concerning several key actions of postoperative recovery are not well known and, therefore, have not been incorporated into medical practice.

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