Fast track for open hepatectomy: A systemic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Liver resection (LR) is preferred treatment for malignancies or benign masses of liver. Using multiple elements, fast track (FT) program was introduced to abdominal surgery associating with fast functional recovery and shorter hospital length of stay (LoS). This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effect of FT program for patients following liver resection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Embase for trials up to December 2015 to compare the FT program to the conventional group. The main outcome was assessed of complication rate (including liver specific or general complication rate), thirty-day postoperative mortality, readmission rate and the length of hospital stay.

RESULTS: Four randomized control trials (RCTs) and three cohort trials (CTs) were to make a quantitative synthesis including 1027 patients. The LoS was reduced following FT groups (weighted mean difference [WMD], 2.24 days; 95% CI 3.69-0.79; P < 0.005). No significant differences were noted in overall complication (risk ratio [RR], 0.94; 95% CI, 0.79-1.12; p = 0.49), mortality (RR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.19-2.15; p = 0.46) and readmission rate (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.54-1.79; p = 0.97). However, the general complication showed a difference favoring FT group (RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.49-0.95; p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS: This review, firstly using the quantitative synthesis in FT program following LR, indicates that FT program can shorten the length of hospital stay and accelerate the postoperative recovery in a safe and effective ways without increasing in mortality, morbidity and readmission rate.