Anastomotic leak risk and patient consent - Anastomotic Leak Prevention

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines for elective colorectal surgery make a strong recommendation that patients should routinely receive dedicated pre-operative counselling.

ERAS guidelines state that:

Giving patients detailed information prior to their procedure can contribute to diminishing their fears and anxiety. This can enhance post-operative recovery and quicken hospital discharge.
When a decision is made in clinic to list a patient for surgery, patients should be given either patient information leaflets or multimedia information. These materials should explain the procedure, and offer the patient advice about how to prepare for their procedure, and what they can expect during their recovery period.
Patients should be counselled about immediate post-operative care and goals, including feeding, early postoperative mobilisation, pain control, and respiratory physiotherapy.