Wearable Technology-A Pilot Study to Define "Normal" Postoperative Recovery Trajectories

Area of Science:

• Surgical recovery and patient monitoring
• Wearable technology applications in healthcare

Background:

• Wearable technology offers novel methods for quantifying patient activity before and after surgery.
• Understanding postoperative recovery is crucial for patient care and outcome prediction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize postoperative recovery trajectories for one month after common surgical procedures using wearable activity devices.
• To compare recovery patterns based on patient admission and operation types.

Main Methods:

• Patients wore activity devices for at least three days preoperatively and 28 days postoperatively.
• Postoperative daily steps were compared to preoperative baseline values, expressed as a percentage.
• Recovery trajectories were analyzed across different admission and operation types.

Main Results:

• 143 patients completed follow-up; postoperative steps significantly decreased on day one and did not return to baseline within four weeks for several procedures.
• Minimally invasive abdominal surgery patients reached 88% of baseline, open abdominal surgery patients reached 64%, and thoracic surgery patients reached 32% of baseline steps.
• All patient groups exhibited rapid step recovery in the first week, followed by a slower return to baseline, with distinct trajectories based on admission and operation type.

Conclusions:

• Wearable activity monitors effectively quantify postoperative recovery trajectories compared to preoperative levels.
• Recovery patterns differ significantly based on operation and admission types, offering insights for patient counseling and interventions.
• Activity recovery is a valuable patient-centered outcome for improving postoperative care.