A Systematic Review on the Impact of Postoperative Rehabilitation Programs in Thoracic Surgery Patients

Post-operative challenges, including reduced respiratory function and slower overall recovery, are often associated with thoracic surgeries. Rehabilitation strategies have been important over the years for their potential to support patient recovery and improve post-surgical outcomes. Studies published up to March 2025 across the databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, and ProQuest, were retrieved and analyzed for this systematic review. Out of the initially selected 29 studies systematically reviewed, 8 fulfilled the final inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Postoperative rehabilitation strategies such as physiotherapy-based programs, nurse-led initiatives, and technology-assisted interventions have been included in the systematic review and found to influence the recovery following thoracic surgery. Interventions like these improve pulmonary function, better pain management, enhanced functional capacity, reduced complication rates, and shorter recovery periods. The findings suggest that rehabilitative approaches may contribute to better postoperative outcomes. However, further clinical research is still needed to develop more standardized rehabilitation protocols.