intraoperativeperioperative

Intraoperative perioperative care is a concept in perioperative medicine that encompasses the management of a patient through the entire perioperative cycle, integrating intraoperative care with preceding and following phases. The term emphasizes continuity of care from preoperative assessment and optimization, through the surgical procedure itself, to postoperative recovery and rehabilitation.

Scope and phases: The approach covers preoperative risk assessment and optimization of comorbidities, nutrition, anemia, medication management, and patient education. Intraoperative elements include anesthesia planning, hemodynamic control, temperature regulation, infection prevention, blood conservation, wound care, and fluid management. Postoperative elements focus on pain control, nausea prevention, early mobilization, nutritional support, delirium prevention, and discharge planning.

Key strategies: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery programs promote systematic, evidence-based practices across all phases to reduce variability and improve outcomes. Multidisciplinary teams—surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, pharmacists, and physical therapists—coordinate care. Perioperative optimization may include goal-directed fluid therapy, regional anesthesia for analgesia, multimodal analgesia, venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, glycemic control, and nutritional support.

Outcomes and implementation: When implemented effectively, intraoperative perioperative care is associated with reduced complication rates, shorter hospital stays, fewer readmissions, and improved patient satisfaction. The concept underpins many hospital quality initiatives aimed at standardizing care and enhancing patient safety, though specific practices vary by institution and patient risk.