Evaluating the Effectiveness of ERAS Protocols and Opioid-Free Anesthesia in Spine Surgery Recovery: A Systematic Review
نویسندگان
1 Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Imam Hossein Educational Hospital, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Neurosurgery, Imam Hossein Educational Hospital, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Neurosurgery, Imam Hossein Educational Hospital, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
doi
10.48309/jmcs.2026.554776.2893چکیده
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have transformed perioperative care, improving patient outcomes, reducing opioid consumption, and enhancing the efficiency of healthcare systems. This article explores the impact of ERAS pathways on surgical and rehabilitation outcomes, with a specific focus on opioid consumption and pain management. A literature search was performed across PubMed (n=218), Scopus (n=357), Web of Science (n=100), and Embase (n=288). for studies from 2016 to 2024, using keywords related to spine surgery, ERAS protocols, opioid-free anesthesia, and postoperative recovery. A total of 1,284 records were identified across four electronic databases: PubMed (218), Scopus (357), Web of Science (100), and Embase (288); an additional search on Google Scholar (321) and ProQuest (288) was also conducted. 770 records were screened, leading to 133 full-text articles assessed for eligibility. Of these, 20 studies were included based on the PICO framework. Data extraction was conducted independently by two authors, and quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The implementation of ERAS protocols was consistently associated with reduced length of stay (LOS), with average reductions ranging from 1.1 to 1.6 days. Opioid-free anesthesia and multimodal analgesia strategies led to significant reductions in perioperative opioid consumption, with some studies reporting decreases of up to 95% in morphine equivalents ERAS protocols and opioid-free anesthesia led to earlier mobilization (observed in 85–94% of patients), improved patient satisfaction (reported in 70–90% of studies), and fewer opioid-related complications, including constipation (−25%), urinary retention (−20%), and nausea (−18%). Only a small number of studies (~10%) reported no significant difference in pain scores, indicating that effective pain control was generally maintained. The integration of ERAS protocols and opioid-free anesthesia demonstrates significant benefits in enhancing recovery after spine surgery, including reduced pain, quicker recovery, and decreased hospital stays. Despite these positive outcomes, further research is needed to standardize these protocols and examine their long-term effects. Surgeons should consider these interventions as part of a comprehensive strategy to optimize postoperative care for spine surgery patients.