[Prehabilitation, Well Prepared for Abdominal Surgery]

Area of Science:

• Geriatric surgery
• Postoperative care
• Prehabilitation interventions

Context:

• Older, frail patients face higher risks of post-operative complications, including functional decline and mortality.
• Abdominal surgery poses significant risks for the geriatric population.
• Prehabilitation is being explored as a strategy to mitigate these risks.

Purpose:

• To review current evidence on prehabilitation for geriatric patients undergoing abdominal surgery.
• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of prehabilitation in this population.
• To identify promising prehabilitation program characteristics.

Summary:

• Prehabilitation appears feasible and acceptable for older surgical patients.
• Multidimensional prehabilitation programs and tailor-made exercise interventions show potential benefits.
• Evidence is not yet conclusive, highlighting the need for further investigation.

Impact:

• Findings suggest prehabilitation could enhance postoperative outcomes in frail older adults.
• Further studies are crucial to establish the efficacy of prehabilitation in the frail surgical population.
• This research informs future clinical practice and trial design for geriatric surgical care.