Intraoperative Goal-Directed Fluid Therapy and Outcomes After Oncologic Surgeries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Surgery is the first-line curative treatment for most solid-organ malignancies. During major surgeries, fluid under- or over administration can have a significant impact on recovery and postoperative outcomes. For patients undergoing oncologic surgery, delayed recovery or complications could additionally impact subsequent oncologic treatment planning. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the impact of goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) on perioperative outcomes after oncologic surgeries. We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science citation index for clinical trials comparing the GDFT to routine clinical care. The primary outcomes of interest are the hospital length of stay and the total incidence of postoperative complications. Secondary outcomes include organ-specific complications and recovery of bowel function. The literature search was last updated on February 17, 2024. We identified a total of 24 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing GDFT to routine care with 1172 and 1186 patients, respectively. The GDFT arm had a significantly shorter length of hospital stay (mean difference [MD], 1.57 days, 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.29 to -0.85, P < .01), as well as lower incidence of complications (risk ratio, 0.74, 95% CI, 0.56-0.97, P = .03). The GDFT arm also had a shorter time to bowel function recovery (MD, 0.58 days, 95% CI, -1.02 to -0.14, P = .01). None of the included trials reported the longer-term oncologic outcomes. The overall certainty of evidence is low due to between-study variance and study risk of bias. Trial sequence analysis indicates that further studies are unlikely to alter the conclusion regarding postoperative length of stay but may provide further information on the postoperative complications. Our systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that in oncologic surgery, intraoperative GDFT significantly reduces the length of hospital stay, lowers the risk of complications, and facilitates bowel function recovery. Further studies are required to evaluate whether the improvement in early postoperative outcomes leads to better long-term oncologic outcomes.