<![CDATA[Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is the primary procedure for the management of large kidney stones. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a perioperative protocol that aims to accelerate patient recovery. This study compared the length of stay (LOS) and pain intensity of PCNL patients managed with the ERAS versus the non-ERAS protocol at Dr. Zainoel Abidin General Hospital, Banda Aceh. This prospective comparative observational study included 61 consecutively recruited PCNL patients, who were grouped into ERAS (n=30) and Non-ERAS (n=31) according to their willingness to follow the ERAS protocol, without random allocation. LOS was recorded in hours, and postoperative pain was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) 6 hours after surgery. Between-group comparisons used the Mann–Whitney U test (α=0.05). LOS was shorter in the ERAS group than in the Non-ERAS group (61.4 ± 19.6 vs 79.6 ± 26.3 hours; p=0.0042), a difference of 18.2 hours (22.9%), or about 0.8 days. VAS scores were lower in the ERAS group (4.4 ± 1.3 vs 6.2 ± 0.6; p<0.0001), a difference of 1.8 points (29.4%). Age and sex did not differ significantly between groups. ERAS was associated with shorter LOS and lower postoperative pain. Given the observational design and limited sample size, ERAS may be considered as an approach to perioperative management of PCNL, pending confirmation by further studies.]]>
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