Impact of Early Ambulation on Recovery Following Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

The importance of early ambulation after various types of surgeries has been highlighted; however, the impact of early ambulation on the clinical course after open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of early ambulation with functional recovery and the length of hospital stay. Moreover, the preoperative factors predicting early ambulation after surgery were evaluated.

Three hundred sixteen patients who underwent elective open AAA repair at a university hospital between 2012 and 2018 were included in this retrospective study. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were used to investigate the association between early ambulation and functional recovery, as determined by the completion of a 100-m walk, and length of stay. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the preoperative factors associated with early ambulation.

Early ambulation was correlated with functional recovery and length of hospital stay (ρ = 0.730 and 0.473, respectively). After adjusting for age, sex, and juxtarenal AAA, early ambulation was independently associated with functional recovery and length of stay (B = 1.318 and 2.253, respectively). Multiple regression analysis revealed that none of the 11 preoperative factors, including functional exercise capacity, were associated with early ambulation.

Early ambulation after open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair is strongly associated with the clinical course, such as functional recovery and length of stay, with a more than 2-fold impact. None of the preoperative factors were associated with early ambulation after surgery. The preoperative prediction of delayed ambulation remains challenging, emphasizing the need for strategies that promote early mobilization after surgery.