ERAS prior to minimally invasive esophagectomy

The concept and pattern of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) have been used for nearly 20 years. However, the clinical application and popularization of ERAS in the esophagectomy have been greatly restricted due to the complexity of operation and the high incidence of postoperative complications. In recent years, with the growing maturity of the minimally invasive technique of thoracic laparoscopy, the attention of the concept of tissue and organ protection, the improvement of making gastric tube and the presentation and application of new concepts, ERAS has made a breakthrough in the field of esophagectomy. In this paper, the ERAS clinical pathway prior to minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) of Shanghai chest hospital was summarized, including preoperative preparation and evaluation, preoperative education and so on. The aim is to continuously improve and popularize the clinical pathway of ERAS in MIE, applying in more and more centers, so as to benefit more and more patients.