Physical and Occupational Therapy Utilization After Infant Abdominal Surgery

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Pediatric surgery
• Rehabilitation medicine

Background:

• Postoperative mobilization is vital for enhanced recovery in neonates.
• Physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) are key components of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) care.
• Barriers to therapy access may disproportionately affect neonates with surgical needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the utilization of PT and OT in NICU patients.
• To compare therapy access and outcomes between operative and nonoperative neonates.
• To identify barriers to therapy for neonates with major abdominal surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 210 neonates (January 2020 - December 2021).
• Comparison of therapy type, timing, and clinical outcomes between operative and nonoperative groups.
• Assessment of factors influencing therapy initiation and adherence.

Main Results:

• Operative neonates had lower gestational age and birthweight.
• Operative neonates experienced significantly longer delays to first PT/OT sessions (25 days for PT, 22 days for OT).
• Missed therapy sessions were more frequent in operative neonates due to procedures and imaging, despite similar session numbers adjusted for length of stay.

Conclusions:

• Significant barriers impede timely mobilization for operative neonates, particularly in early postoperative weeks.
• Mitigation strategies are needed to improve therapy access for surgical neonates.
• Further research, including prospective studies, is required to evaluate the benefits of earlier postoperative therapy.