Prehabilitation programs in liver resection: a narrative review.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Oncology
• Perioperative Medicine
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Liver resection (LR) is crucial for treating liver conditions but carries risks of complications and prolonged recovery.
• Prehabilitation is an emerging strategy to optimize patients physically and psychologically before LR.
• This review synthesizes current evidence on prehabilitation in LR to inform clinical management.

Approach:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed across multiple databases up to July 2023.
• The search focused on studies investigating prehabilitation's role and its impact on postoperative outcomes in LR patients.
• Evidence synthesis aimed to provide an overview of current prehabilitation strategies and their effectiveness.

Key Points:

• Prehabilitation programs are multifaceted, including physical exercise, nutritional support, and psychological interventions.
• Components include intensive physical training, dietary adjustments, psychosocial support, and advanced care planning.
• Innovative approaches like fluid optimization and specific supplementations are under investigation.

Conclusions:

• Prehabilitation is vital for optimizing patients undergoing liver resection, significantly improving postoperative outcomes.
• Various prehabilitation strategies exist, demonstrating potential benefits for patient recovery.
• A formal consensus on patient selection and ideal prehabilitation program design is currently lacking.