The effect of pre-habilitation programs on surgical outcomes among patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery

Pre-habilitation programs, designed to optimize physical, nutritional and psychological health before surgery, show promise in improving outcomes for elective cardiac surgery. This randomized controlled trial assessed the impact of a 4-week prehabilitation program on 100 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery, comparing it to standard preoperative care. The prehabilitation group experienced significantly fewer postoperative complications (12% vs. 28%, p = 0.016), shorter hospital stays (6.4 ± 1.8 days vs. 8.2 ± 2.1 days, p < 0.001) and improved 30-day functional recovery (p = 0.005). These findings demonstrate that prehabilitation enhances recovery, reduces complications and shortens hospitalization, supporting its inclusion in preoperative protocols for elective cardiac surgery.