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At first, Peter Mayes of Bethlehem thought his abdominal discomfort might be a sign of aging. “I’d have coffee or certain foods and think, ‘Ugh, maybe I shouldn’t have done that,’” he says. As bouts got worse and triggered fever, he figured it might be flu. But at the start of 2015, bouts became so bad he had to enter the hospital every few months for treatment with antibiotics or flushing of his system. “The first time I went to the emergency room, something told me I should get this checked out,” he says. Mayes had diverticulitis, an infection that can develop when small pouches bulge outward through weak spots in the colon (large intestine). “Recurrent diverticulitis attacks, especially if they’re complicated, are an indication for surgery,” says general surgeon Pat Toselli, DO, with LVPG General Surgery. “His case was very complicated.”
Gut check
Having surgery to remove diseased portions of the colon was a scary prospect for Mayes. “I had a fear of needing a colostomy bag to collect waste if remaining sections of the intestine couldn’t be reattached,” he says. He also feared how a bag might limit his work as a middle school principal.
Enhancing recovery
Relieving some of the stress of surgery is one goal of Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol. Through education, innovative pain management, clear expectations, accelerated recovery and close follow-up, ERAS is designed to improve outcomes, increase patient satisfaction and shorten hospital stays. “There’s a saying in education that you begin with the end in mind,” Mayes says. “That’s exactly what this protocol did.” Mayes received detailed information about the surgery and recovery beforehand. “There was a postoperative plan that explained what would happen right down to the day,” he says. “I knew what was going on and was invested in the recovery.”
ERAS assigns one person to provide information and check in with a patient regularly after surgery. “That allows continuity and a sense there’s always someone to contact if you have questions,” says nurse practitioner Justina Momah, CRNP, with Lehigh Valley Hospital–Enhanced Recovery After Surgery. “Knowing what to expect relieves unnecessary anxiety, prepares you to leave the hospital as quickly as possible and helps you recover at home.”
Diverticulitis diffused
Surgery was successful and Mayes’ colon was reattached – “a great relief,” he says. He was walking within hours of surgery and eating by the third day, when he went home. “Only after surgery did I realize how debilitating diverticulitis had been to my family and professional life,” Mayes says. “I feel better than I have in years.”