Background This review aims to present a consensus for optimal perioperative care in colonic surgery and to provide graded recommendations for items for an evidencedbased enhanced perioperative protocol. Methods Studies were selected with particular attention paid to meta-analyses, randomised controlled trials and large prospective cohorts. For each item of the perioperative treatment pathway, available English-language literature was examined, reviewed and graded. A consensus recommendation was reached after critical appraisal of the literature by the group. Results For most of the protocol items, recommendations are based on good-quality trials or meta-analyses of goodquality trials (quality of evidence and recommendations according to the GRADE system). Conclusions Based on the evidence available for each item of the multimodal perioperative care pathway, the Enhanced

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BackgroundThe present interdisciplinary consensus review proposes clinical considerations and recommendations for anaesthetic practice in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery with an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) programme.MethodsStudies were selected with particular attention being paid to meta‐analyses, randomized controlled trials and large prospective cohort studies. For each item of the perioperative treatment pathway, available English‐language literature was examined and reviewed. The group reached a consensus recommendation after critical appraisal of the literature.ResultsThis consensus statement demonstrates that anaesthesiologists control several preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative ERAS elements. Further research is needed to verify the strength of these recommendations.ConclusionsBased on the evidence available for each element of perioperative care pathways, the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS ®) Society presents a comprehensive consensus review, clinical considerations and recommendations for anaesthesia care in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery within an ERAS programme. This unified protocol facilitates involvement of anaesthesiologists in the implementation of the ERAS programmes and allows for comparison between centres and it eventually might facilitate the design of multi‐institutional prospective and adequately powered randomized trials.

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Patients undergoing colorectal resection within an ERP stay in hospital half as long as those receiving conventional care, with no increased morbidity, deterioration in quality of life or increased cost.