Pre-operative physiotherapy for elderly patients undergoing abdominal surgery

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Surgical Rehabilitation
• Physiotherapy Interventions

Background:

• Elderly patients often experience functional decline and reduced daily living activities after abdominal surgery.
• Postoperative recovery in older adults can be significantly impacted by decreased mobility and function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a single pre-operative physiotherapy session on clinical and physical function outcomes in elderly patients undergoing abdominal surgery.
• To assess the feasibility and preliminary effects of a pre-operative physiotherapy intervention.

Main Methods:

• A single-blind pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted.
• Outcomes measured included length of hospital stay, postoperative pulmonary complications, early mobilization, mobility index, 6-minute walk test, and activities of daily living.
• Twelve elderly participants were included in the study.

Main Results:

• Participants receiving the pre-operative physiotherapy intervention showed a trend towards greater walking distance at first mobilization compared to the control group (177m vs. 90m).
• The median hospital length of stay was 4 days.
• Low recruitment rates and high non-consent rates were noted, indicating challenges in study enrollment.

Conclusions:

• A single pre-operative physiotherapy session demonstrated a potential positive effect on postoperative mobility in elderly patients.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to validate these preliminary findings and optimize the intervention.