Bu F, Liu ZJ. Letter to the Editor: Reframing post-anesthesia care unit handover in gastrointestinal surgery - a missing link in enhanced recovery after surgery pathways. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; 18(7): 119544 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.119544]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Zi-Jia Liu, MD, Assistant Professor, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Anesthesiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing 100730, China. liu-zj02@126.com
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Anesthesiology
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letter
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Bu F, Liu ZJ. Letter to the Editor: Reframing post-anesthesia care unit handover in gastrointestinal surgery - a missing link in enhanced recovery after surgery pathways. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; 18(7): 119544 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.119544]
World J Gastrointest Surg. Jul 27, 2026; 18(7): 119544 Published online Jul 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.119544
Letter to the Editor: Reframing post-anesthesia care unit handover in gastrointestinal surgery - a missing link in enhanced recovery after surgery pathways
Fan Bu, Zi-Jia Liu
Fan Bu, Department of Anesthesiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100730, China
Zi-Jia Liu, Department of Anesthesiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100730, China
Author contributions: Bu F drafted the first version; Bu F and Liu ZJ proposed the initial concept and conducted the literature review, collaborated to revise the draft and finalize the manuscript; and all the authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
AI contribution statement: We did not use any AI tools.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Zi-Jia Liu, MD, Assistant Professor, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Anesthesiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing 100730, China. liu-zj02@126.com
Received: January 30, 2026 Revised: March 22, 2026 Accepted: May 18, 2026 Published online: July 27, 2026 Processing time: 178 Days and 19.1 Hours
Abstract
We have read a recently article published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery by Hu et al focusing on the handover management of gastrointestinal surgery patients during the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) period. The study addresses a long-overlooked yet critically important “transition zone” in perioperative management. Within the perioperative management pathway of the enhanced recovery after surgery concept, PACU is often regarded as a “brief stopover area” rather than a genuine “management node”. In fact, PACU serves as the sole transitional point from anesthesia management to the surgical ward, where measures such as analgesia, antiemesis, and temperature management continue to be implemented. Any omission of information at this stage may undermine the effectiveness of prior enhanced recovery after surgery implementation. Additionally, the study introduces a “specialized mindset” into PACU handover management, consciously emphasizing the characteristics of gastrointestinal surgery patients within a standardized handover template. This is not merely about adding another handover template; it ensures that both parties involved in the handover reach a cognitive consensus on key issues, thereby reducing the risks arising from differences in information interpretation. In the future, this handover system could further transition toward digitalization to alleviate manual workload. Moreover, outcome indicators such as the incidence of adverse events could be used to more comprehensively evaluate its long-term effectiveness.
Core Tip: Within the perioperative management pathway of the enhanced recovery after surgery concept, the post-anesthesia care unit is often regarded as a “brief stopover area” rather than a genuine “management node”. In fact, the post-anesthesia care unit serves as the sole transitional point from anesthesia management to the surgical ward, where measures such as analgesia, antiemesis, and temperature management continue to be implemented. Any omission of information at this stage may undermine the effectiveness of prior enhanced recovery after surgery implementation.
