Impact of Perioperative Rehabilitation on Postoperative Length of Hospital Stay for Patients With Gastric Cancer

Perioperative rehabilitation is effective in preventing postoperative complications and is associated with a shorter length of hospital stay after gastrectomy. However, its impact on short-term outcomes in patients without post-gastrectomy complications has not yet been clarified. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of perioperative rehabilitation beyond preventing postoperative complications.

Of the 142 patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer at our hospital between November 2017 and December 2022 and were treated according to the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol during the perioperative period, 106 patients who were discharged without postoperative complications (with Clavien-Dindo classification < Grade 1) and did not undergo readmission within 30 days after surgery were included in the study. Perioperative rehabilitation was provided from August 2020. Patients were divided into the following two groups: Group A (with cancer rehabilitation; n=55) and Group B (without cancer rehabilitation; n=51), and their clinicopathological characteristics and short-term results were compared. Risk factor analysis was performed based on the number of days of postoperative hospitalization.

The number of days of postoperative hospitalization in Group A (average 8.6 days) was significantly shorter than that in group B (average 9.9 days) (p=0.032). Multivariate analysis of postoperative hospital stay revealed that older age (p=0.003), female sex (p=0.043), heavy bleeding (p=0.026), and no rehabilitation (p=0.004) were independent risk factors.

Even in patients without postoperative complications, perioperative rehabilitation for gastric cancer could be effective in shortening the postoperative hospital stay.