Not yet recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Neonatal Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Outcomes Study

This study aims to improve how newborn babies are looked after when they need major surgery. It's focused on a special care plan called Neonatal Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (nERAS), which offers clear guidelines for care before, during, and after an operation. Researchers want to see if using these nERAS guidelines helps babies recover more quickly and with fewer problems. They're also checking how well hospital teams learn and use these new guidelines. The study involves looking at hospital records of babies and asking healthcare staff and parents about their experiences. It compares babies who had standard care before nERAS with those who received care under the new plan, to understand if it truly makes a difference to their health, both short-term and up to 18 months later.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Sponsor

The Hospital for Sick Children

Enrolment target

400

Start

03 Aug 2026

Estimated completion

15 Dec 2029

Neonatal Patients Undergoing Major Non-cardiac Surgery Congenital Anomaly

What is this study about?

This study is all about making big operations safer and easier for newborn babies. When a baby needs major surgery that isn't on their heart, it can be a really stressful time for them and their families. This research is investigating a special set of recommendations called Neonatal Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (nERAS).

Think of nERAS as a careful, step-by-step plan for how to look after a baby before, during, and after their surgery. These guidelines are based on the best available medical knowledge and are designed to help babies recover better and have fewer problems. The study wants to find out if using these guidelines truly improves how quickly babies get better, and if it makes a difference to their health in the long run, even up to 18 months after their operation.

The researchers are doing this by looking at information from babies who had surgery before the nERAS guidelines were put into practice, and comparing it with information from babies who had surgery after the guidelines were introduced. They are also talking to hospital staff and parents to understand how well the new guidelines are being used and what people think of them. This study is taking place in three hospitals, including Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

Key takeaways

This study evaluates new care guidelines (nERAS) for newborn babies having major surgery.
It aims to see if nERAS helps babies recover better and reduces problems.
The study compares care before and after nERAS was introduced.
It involves reviewing medical records and gathering feedback from staff and parents.
Findings could improve future surgical care for newborns.
Your baby's direct care was not changed by this study.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking at information from newborn babies who had major surgery that wasn't on their heart. This includes operations like those on their tummy or chest, or procedures for conditions present at birth.

To be included, babies needed to be born between 24 and 44 weeks gestational age (which means from about 6 months early to 2 months after their due date) at the time of their operation. They also needed to be admitted to one of the study hospitals before their surgery.

Babies would not be included if they had heart surgery only, very minor surgery, were born much earlier or later than the specified timeframe, or sadly passed away during the operation. Also excluded are babies with certain severe genetic conditions, those on a life support machine called ECMO before surgery, or those who had surgery while still in the womb.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Was my baby a newborn?
Did my baby have major surgery, but not on their heart?
Was my baby between 24 and 44 weeks (gestational age) at the time of their operation?
Was my baby admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital (or one of the Canadian hospitals) before their surgery?
Did my baby not have certain severe genetic conditions or specific life support before surgery?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If your baby was part of this study, it means their medical information was reviewed by researchers. This study looks back at records, so your baby would not have received any extra treatments, procedures, or tests just for the study. The care they received would have been the standard care provided by the hospital at the time of their surgery.

Separately, healthcare staff (like doctors and nurses) and sometimes parents or carers were asked to share their experiences. This might have been through surveys, interviews, or group discussions. This helped researchers understand how the new care guidelines were put into practice and what people thought of them.

Potential risks and benefits

This study mostly involves looking at existing medical records, so there are no new risks or changes to your baby's treatment or care because of the study. The potential benefit is that the findings could help hospitals provide even better care for newborn babies needing surgery in the future, leading to faster recoveries and fewer problems for many other families. If you were asked to take part in a survey or interview, you would have been told you could stop at any time without affecting your baby’s care. The study aims to improve care without causing any direct risks to individual patients.

Locations (3)

Alberta Children's Hospital
Verified postcode
Calgary, Canada
The Hospital for Sick Children
Verified postcode
Toronto, Canada
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Verified postcode
London, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is nERAS?

nERAS stands for Neonatal Enhanced Recovery After Surgery. It's a special plan with clear guidelines to help newborn babies recover better and faster from major operations.

Why is this study important?

It's important because it helps us understand if these new care guidelines truly improve the health and recovery of newborn babies having surgery, and how to best use them in hospitals.

Did my baby get different treatment because of this study?

No, your baby received the standard care provided by the hospital. The study mainly looks at existing medical records and gathers feedback from staff and parents.

Which hospitals are involved?

Three hospitals are involved: Alberta Children's Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children in Canada, and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, UK.

Will the study results help my baby?

The study aims to improve future care for babies. While it won't change your baby's past care, the findings could lead to better treatments for many other babies needing surgery.

How to find out more

Tabina A Ahmed, BSc., MSc.

tabina.ahmed@sickkids.ca 416-813-7654 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.