Preoperative Rehabilitation Program Research Articles

Are there Sex differences in Return to Play Rates in High Level Athletes Following Hip Arthroscopy?

Objectives:Return to sport is a common co ncern in those undergoing arthroscopic surgery for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement. These are commonly young active individuals with high-level athletic aspirations. Setting expectations in terms of appropriate time frame and success rates are an integral piece of pre-operative education and planning. The goals of this study were to examine return to play (RTP) rates and time frames in professional and collegiate athletes following hip arthroscopy, evaluate sex differences in return to play (morphology and rates), and evaluate differences in return to play for the most common sports.Methods:A retrospective review of a continuous cohort of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement and labral injury was conducted between January 2014 and December 2018. Athletes whom were participating in collegiate or professional sports prior to surgery were included. Chart review was conducted to gather sport specific information, morphologic data, clearance dates, successful return, and subsequent surgery. Successful return to sport was determined by being able to return to participation following clearance in at least one season. Descriptive statistics were utilized to summarize the data set and chi-square and t-tests were utilized to examine differences between groups.Results:265 patients undergoing 332 hip arthroscopies participating in collegiate or professional sports prior to surgery were identified (75.4% male and 24.6% female), with 237 collegiate athletes and 95 professional athletes. There was a significant difference in mean alpha angles between males and females, 70.2 ± 10.5 males and 60.7± 10.0 in females, (p<0.001), but no significant differences in coronal center edge angles or femoral version. 87% of the athletes participated in hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, baseball, soccer, or basketball. Given that a significant portion of the athletes were in college, there was a portion that graduated and thus no longer participated in collegiate athletics (27 hips), and 3 athletes (all with bilateral hip arthroscopies) were unable to return to sport due to other conditions. 91.9% of athletes were able to return to sport. 19 athletes (22 hips) were unable to return to sport. The group that was unable to return was predominantly female (73%), and this difference was significant (p<0.001). There was a significant difference between the returning group and the group that failed to return to sport in alpha angle (RTP 68.6 ± 10.8 vs No RTP 60.7± 10.6), but there were no differences in coronal center edge angle or femoral version. The difference in alpha angle is due to the predominance of females (whom had significantly lower alphas) in the unable to return group. 10 athletes (11 hips, 3.3%) required subsequent surgery (revision arthroscopy, conversion to periacetabular osteotomy, or hip resurfacing). Times for return to play were available to 205 of the athletes, averaging 6.8 months± 2.8. There was no significant difference between the males and females for return to play. There was trend towards shorter length of return for hockey athletes. There was a significant difference in the return to sport rates between the sport groups, but there were some groups with smaller sample sizes that should be taken into account. The groups with more athletes unable to return were soccer and lacrosse; these sports also had a high number of female athletes. There were no hockey athletes that were unable to return, and only 1 football athlete was unable to return.Conclusions:Hip arthroscopy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement and labral injury allows patients to return to sport at a high level within an average of 6.8 months. However, female athletes are less likely to have a successful return and should potentially be counseled as such. This may also inform pre-operative rehabilitation programs and intra-operative planning for female athletes. Further research should examine causes for decreased rate of return for females, and potential ways to maximize recovery and return to sport following hip arthroscopy.Athletes’ Ability to Return to Play by Sport Able Unable % RTP Football52198.20%Hockey710100.00%Soccer21580.80%Basketball24292.30%Baseball32294.10%Lacrosse43589.60%

Effects of a preoperative neuromobilization program offered to individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome awaiting carpal tunnel decompression surgery: A pilot randomized controlled study

Study DesignPilot randomized controlled trial with parallel groups. IntroductionEngaging individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) awaiting carpal tunnel decompression surgery in a preoperative rehabilitation program may mitigate pain and sensorimotor impairments, enhance functional abilities before surgery, and improve postoperative outcomes. Purpose of the StudyTo assess the feasibility and the efficacy of a novel preoperative neuromobilization exercise program (NEP). MethodsThirty individuals with CTS were randomly allocated into a four-week home-based neuromobilization exercise group or a standard care group while awaiting surgery. Outcome measures included feasibility (ie, recruitment, attrition, adherence, satisfaction, and safety) and efficacy metrics (ie, median nerve integrity and neurodynamics, tip pinch grip, pain, and upper limb functional abilities) collected before (ie, at the baseline and about four weeks later) and four weeks after surgery. ResultsThirty individuals with CTS were recruited (recruitment rate = 11.8%) and 25 completed the study (attrition rate = 16.7%). Adherence (94%) and satisfaction with the program (eg, enjoy the exercises and likeliness to repeat the NEP (≥4.2/5) were high and no serious adverse event was reported. NEP-related immediate pre- and post-surgery beneficial effects on pain interference were documented (P = .05, η2 = .10), whereas an overall increased neurodynamics (P = .04, η2 = .11) and decreased pain severity (P = .01, η2 = .21) were observed. DiscussionEngaging in the proposed NEP has limited beneficial effect as a stand-alone intervention on pre- and post-surgery outcomes for individuals with CTS. Expanding the program’s content and attribute by adding other components including desensitization maneuvers and novel therapies promoting corticospinal plasticity is recommended. ConclusionA preoperative NEP completed by individuals with CTS awaiting surgery is feasible, acceptable, and safe. However, given the limited beneficial effectsof the program, revision of its content and attributes is recommended before proceeding to large-scale trials.

Effectiveness of home-based preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD patients undergoing lung cancer resection.

To investigate the effectiveness of a home-based preoperative rehabilitation program for improving preoperative lung function and surgical outcome of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undergoing lobectomy for cancer. This was a prospective, observational, single-center study including 59 patients with mild COPD who underwent lobectomy for lung cancer. All patients attended a home-based preoperative rehabilitation program including a minimum of 3 sessions each week for 4 weeks. Each session included aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Participants recorded the frequency and the duration of exercise performed in a diary. The primary end point was to evaluate changes in lung function including predicted postoperative (PPO) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), 6-minute walking distance test (6MWD), PPO diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) %, and blood gas analysis values before and after the rehabilitation program. Postoperative pulmonary complications were recorded and multivariable analysis was used to identify independent prognostic factors (secondary end point). All patients completed the 4-week rehabilitation program. Thirteen of 59 (22%) patients (Group A) performed <3 sessions per week (mean sessions per week: 2.3±1.3); 46 of 59 (78%) patients (Group B) performed ⩾3 sessions per week (mean sessions per week: 3.5±1.6). The comparison of PPO FEV1% and 6MWD before and after rehabilitation showed a significant improvement only in Group B. No significant changes in PPO DLCO% or in blood gas analysis values were seen. Nine patients presented postoperative pulmonary complications, including atelectasis (n = 6), pneumonia (n = 1), respiratory failure (n = 1), and pulmonary embolism (n = 1). Group A presented higher number of postoperative pulmonary complications than Group B (6 vs 3; p = 0.0005). Multivariate analysis showed that the number of weekly rehabilitation sessions was the only independent predictive factor (p = 0.001). Our simple and low-cost rehabilitation program could improve preoperative clinical function in patients with mild to moderate COPD undergoing lobectomy and reduce postoperative pulmonary complications. All patients should be motivated to complete at least 3 rehabilitation sessions per week in order to obtain significant clinical benefits. Our preliminary results should be confirmed by larger prospective studies.

A case study: Effectiveness of preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation program in liver transplantation patient

A 56-year-old male patient suffering from multiple conditions of decompensated chronic liver disease, alcohol-related cirrhosis of liver stage of CHILD-B, model for end-stage liver disease-11, and portal hypertension and admitted for liver transplantation in a specialty hospital was reported in this study. Previously, the patient was hospitalized for several times for hepatic encephalopathy. Preoperative evaluation was done by a pulmonologist for cardiorespiratory fitness. The patient was examined with high-resolution computed tomography chest and the functional capacity evaluation by 6-min walk test. The reports showed that the patient is not fit for surgery due to interstitial lung disorder, significant desaturation, noticeable dyspnea, and limited functional walk capacity, and hence, he was referred for cardiorespiratory fitness to the unit of pulmonary rehabilitation program for 12 weeks.

P2.16-42 The Use of a Smartphone Application Improves Postoperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Lung Cancer Resection

For early stages of lung cancer, complete surgical resection with curative intent for patients who are surgical candidates remains the most effective treatment. However, thoracic surgery procedures are related to postoperative pulmonary complications which increase the morbidity and mortality. Preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation programs improve postoperative outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the role of a smartphone application to improve pulmonary rehabilitation in a group patients scheduled for lung cancer resection. A Smartphone application containing peri-operative medical advice (stop smoking, mouth health, early mobilization and pain control) and ten chest physical exercises (aerobic exercise, inspiratory muscle strength and secretion mobilization technique) was created. This prospective and no randomized study was developed between January 2017 and December 2018. All patients scheduled for surgery were asked to participate. A group of 68 patients used and interacted with the software before and after the surgery. The control group (114 patients) received classical information and education by the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Clinical-pathological variables, incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications, duration of chest drainage, length of hospital stay and 30 days mortality rate were recorded and analyzed. Postoperative pulmonary complications were developed 17.6% in the intervention group and 33.3% in the control group (P=0.02). The length of hospital stay was shorter in the intervention group (median 3±4.09d vs. 5±6.87d P=0.001). No differences were found in duration of chest drainage or 30 day mortality compared with control group. This new technological resource created by thoracic surgeons demonstrates that preoperative rehabilitation program and patient education improve postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing lung cancer resection, decreasing the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications and length of hospital stay.

Heart Rehabilitation in patients awaiting Open heart surgery targeting to prevent Complications and to improve Quality of life (Heart-ROCQ): study protocol for a prospective, randomised, open, blinded endpoint (PROBE) trial

IntroductionThe rising prevalence of modifiable risk factors (eg, obesity, hypertension and physical inactivity) is causing an increase in possible avoidable complications in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. This study aims to...

Feasibility of conducting an active exercise prehabilitation program in patients awaiting spinal stenosis surgery: a randomized pilot study

Prehabilitation is defined as the process of augmenting functional capacity before surgery in preparation for the postoperative phase. This study intends to assess the feasibility of conducting a preoperative intervention program in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and to report on the piloting of the proposed intervention. Patients were allocated to a 6-week supervised preoperative rehabilitation program or a control group. The intervention included supervised exercise sessions aimed to improve strength, muscular endurance, and spinal stabilization. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 6 weeks later and again 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after surgery. Sixty-five percent of admissible participants agreed to take part in the study, of which 5% dropped out before the end of the intervention period. Eighty-eight percent of potential training sessions were delivered without adverse event. Improvements were seen in favour of the experimental group at the preoperative assessment for active ranges of motion, leg pain intensity, lumbar extensor muscle endurance and walking capacities. Results show that slight modifications to the choice of outcome measures would increase feasibility of the main study. The absence of adverse events coupled with positive changes seen in dependant outcome measures warrant the conduct of a full-scale trial assessing the effectiveness of the intervention.

Factors Associated With a Delay in Achieving Full Knee Extension Before Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background:Arthrofibrosis commonly occurs after an acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and following ACL reconstruction and can lead to poor outcomes. Preoperative stiffness has been shown to be associated with postoperative stiffness; however, few studies have examined predictors of preoperative delay in obtaining full knee extension.Purpose:To examine demographic and injury factors as predictors of time required to achieve full knee extension preoperatively in patients with an acute ACL injury.Study Design:Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:A total of 172 patients with an acute ACL tear at presentation (defined as ≤3 weeks from injury) who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within 6 weeks of the injury were included in this analysis. Preoperative data included date of injury, age at injury, sex, body mass index, mechanism of injury (noncontact/contact), time from injury to surgery (days), time to achieve full extension prior to surgery (weeks), and bone bruising on MRI. Time to achieve full extension was categorized as <3 or ≥3 weeks. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression was used to examine predictors of delayed time to achieve full extension (≥3 vs <3 weeks). Odds ratios and 95% CIs were reported.Results:Time to achieve full extension was early (<3 weeks) in 98 patients and delayed (≥3 weeks) in 74 patients. The average time to achieve full extension was 7 days in the early group and 32.5 days in the delayed group. Delayed time to achieve full extension was associated with increased lateral femoral condyle (LFC) bruising compared with early time to achieve extension (82.8% vs 66.7%, respectively; P = .03). No other statistically significant predictors were found after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and mechanism of injury.Conclusion:Acute ACL injuries associated with LFC bone bruising seen on MRI are more likely to result in reduced extension prior to ACL reconstruction. These injuries should be identified and addressed by an appropriate preoperative rehabilitation program, and surgery should be delayed to avoid risking arthrofibrosis postoperatively by reconstructing a knee with less than full extension.

Comprehensive Preoperative Pulmonary Rehabilitation Including Intensive Nutritional Support Reduces the Postoperative Morbidity Rate of Sarcopenia-Related Patients with Lung Cancer

Since surgical resection is the treatment of choice for localized lung cancer, it is important to develop an effective strategy to reduce the risk of postoperative complications caused by poor preoperative conditions. We prospectively implemented a comprehensive preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation (CHPPR) program that includes intensive nutritional support with branched-chain amino acids and herbal medicine supplementation concomitant with potential high-intensity physical therapy through an interdisciplinary team approach. This study aimed to evaluate whether CHPPR is beneficial for elderly, low body weight (percentage ideal body weight &lt;90%) patients scheduled to undergo lung surgery. Between 2006 and 2015, 171 patients aged &gt;70 years underwent standard lobectomy for lung cancers. Of these, 12 patients with a low body weight (sarcopenia-related, Group A) and 62 patients without a low body weight (sarcopenia-unrelated, Group B) underwent surgery after CHPPR. Twenty-four patients with a low body weight (sarcopenia-related, Group C) and 73 patients without a low body weight (sarcopenia-unrelated, Group D) refused CHPPR. The postoperative morbidity rates of patients in Groups A, B, C, and D were 17%, 16%, 63%, and 21%, respectively. Of the patients in the sarcopenia-related groups (Groups A and C), those who participated in the CHPPR program (Group A) had a significantly lower morbidity rate than those who did not participate in the CHPPR program (Group C) (P = 0.014). The CHPPR program is beneficial in reducing the postoperative morbidity rate of sarcopenia-related patients scheduled to undergo pulmonary resection.

Effect of an intensive 3-week preoperative home rehabilitation programme in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease eligible for lung cancer surgery: a multicentre randomised controlled trial

IntroductionSurgery is the standard curative treatment for lung cancer but is only possible in patients with local tumour and preserved exercise capacity. Improving fitness before surgery can reduce postoperative complications...

Home-based preoperative rehabilitation (prehab) to improve physical function and reduce hospital length of stay for frail patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft and valve surgery

BackgroundEvidence suggests that elective cardiac patients are at risk of functional and psychological deterioration in the time preceding surgery. This poses a risk to successful post-operative rehabilitation. This prospective one-group pre-test, post-test evaluation was designed to assess a clinical Pre-operative Rehabilitation (PREHAB) home-based exercise programme, to optimise pre-operative physical function and frailty in patients awaiting elective Coronary Artery By-Pass Graft (CABG) or Valve Surgery.MethodConsenting patients awaiting cardiac surgery, with wait time ≥ 6 weeks were referred to a Senior Physiotherapist for baseline assessment. Patients were offered PREHAB in the form of functional home-based exercise that was prescribed from baseline physical outcomes. All patients were followed up via telephone to ensure progression of exercise and any problems associated with it. This continued weekly until the patient attended Surgical Pre-assessment clinic, where all outcome measures were re-assessed.ResultsTwenty two patients, out of a total number of 36 patients seen in the surgical clinic between March 2016 and August 2016, participated in the prehab clinical evaluation. Twenty patients completed their prescribed exercises on a weekly basis prior to surgery. No adverse events or cardiac symptoms were reported as a result of the home exercise intervention. Paired t-Test analyses revealed a significant mean difference in clinical frailty score (CFS) of −0.53 ± 0.51 (95% CI [−0.774, −0.279], P = 0.0003). Significant mean difference in six-minute walk test (6MWT) distance of 42.5 ± 27.8 m (95% CI [23.840, 61.251], P = 0.0005), 6MWT walking speed of 0.5 ± 0.4kmh (95% CI, [0.2433, 0.7567], P = 0.001), and short physical performance battery (SPPB) total score of 2.2 ± 1.7, (95% CI [3.066, 1.200], P = 0.0002) were also observed. The change in 6MWT distance was shown to be significantly associated with hospital length of stay (LOS) (r = 0.7; P = 0.03).ConclusionThis small exploratory evaluation suggests that providing a home-based PREHAB programme for frail patients undergoing CABG or Valve surgery may be able to improve functional ability and reduce hospital length of stay for those patients undergoing cardiac surgery. A frailty score with greater sensitivity may be required to elucidate the influence frailty could have in reducing length of stay. A large randomised controlled study is required to reveal the potential beneficial effects of PREHAB in this patient population.

Short-term high-intensity rehabilitation in radically treated lung cancer: a three-armed randomized controlled trial.

The feasibility and practicality of preoperative rehabilitation (PR) programs remains quite controversial in the treatment of lung cancer (LC). This study explored whether a short-term high-intensity rehabilitation program could improve postoperative outcomes compared to those achieved with conventional inspiratory muscle training (IMT). A three-armed randomized controlled trial comparing the two training modalities and routine care was conducted in surgical LC patients. Patient groups received one of three treatment regimens: (I) high-intensity pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) that combined IMT with conventional resistance training (CRT) (combined PR group); (II) conventional PR (single IMT group); or (III) routine preoperative preparation (control group). The primary endpoint was a change in the occurrence of post-operative pulmonary complications (PPCs) that occurred within 30 days after surgery, while secondary endpoints included changes in length of hospital stay, quality of life (QoL) scores, 6-min walk distance (6-MWD) and peak expiratory flow (PEF). A total of 90 enrolled patients were randomized into three groups with a computer-based 1:1:1 ratio. The intention-to-treat analysis of the study revealed that, compared with the Control Group, the Combined PR Group had a significant increase in ∆6-MWD (by 32.67 m, P=0.002), ∆PEF (by 14.3 L/min, P=0.001), ∆global scores (by 3.7, P=0.035); and a reduced ∆average total hospital stay (by 3.2 d, P=0.001) and ∆postoperative stay (by 3.6 d, P=0.001). With regard to PPC rate, the Combined PR Group had a somewhat lower PPC severity (grade II-V) compared to the Control Group. This hospital-based short-term program of PR combining high-intensity IMT with CRT was significantly superior to the conventional IMT program, indicating that this approach would be a feasible strategy for treating LC patients, especially those waiting operations with surgery-related risk factors.

Quality and Variability of Online Physical Therapy Protocols for Isolated Meniscal Repairs

Objectives:Patients are attempting to access healthcare content online at a precipitously increasing rate given the efficiency and ease of modern search engines. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality and variability found across isolated meniscal repair rehabilitation protocols published online.Methods:Web-based meniscal repair physical therapy protocols from U.S. academic orthopaedic programs available online were included for review. The first 10 protocols identified by the Google search engine for the term “meniscal repair physical therapy protocol” were also included as these will be the most commonly encountered by patient searches. Exclusion criteria comprised treatment of concomitant injuries and protocols aimed at pediatric patients. A comprehensive custom scoring rubric was created to assess each protocol for presence or absence of various rehabilitation components, as well as their timing.Results:Twenty protocols were included from 155 U.S. academic orthopaedic programs for a total of 30 protocols. Only one protocol (5%) recommended a pre-operative rehabilitation program and no protocol recommended continuous passive motion post-operatively. Twenty-six protocols (86.6%) recommended immediate post-operative bracing with an average 5.0 (range 3 to 8) weeks of brace use. Twenty-three of these protocols (88.5%) specifically mentioned locking of the brace during ambulation. Twelve (40.0%) protocols permitted immediate weight bearing as tolerated (WBAT) post-operatively, while the remaining protocols permitted WBAT at an average 4.0 (range 1 to 7) weeks post-operatively. There was considerable variation in range of motion (ROM) goals with most protocols (73.3%) initiating immediate PROM to 90°. Full ROM was mentioned in 22 (73.3%) protocols and permitted at an average of 5.2 (range 1 to 7) weeks. The types of strength and proprioception exercises specifically recommended in each protocol were extremely diverse. In regard to modalities recommended for return to basic activity, stationary biking was the most commonly employed (90.0%) at an average 4.6 (range 1 to 7) weeks post-operatively. Agility and pivot training were permitted at an average of 12.5 (range 7 to 28) and 19.3 (range 11 to 28) weeks, respectively. Only five protocols (16.7%) employed functional testing during the rehabilitation process as a marker for return to athletic activities, with 14 (46.7%) protocols failing to mention return to practice or competition as a goal for meniscal repair rehabilitation.Conclusion:There is a paucity of evidence-based treatment modalities employed during physical therapy following isolated meniscal repair. The results of this study indicate that only a minority of academic orthopaedic programs publish meniscal repair physical therapy protocols online and that within these protocols there are significant disparities. These variations reflect the lack of consensus regarding the best-practice components of meniscal repair rehabilitation which can lead to confusion among patients, therapists and surgeons resulting in longer recovery times and inferior results. This inconsistency represents an opportunity for improvement through standardization.

Surfactant Protein-D: A sensitive predictor for efficiency of preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation

BackgroundSurfactant Protein D (SP-D) as a lung-derived biomarker for inflammatory lung disease is being studied in depth. Meanwhile, the Pre-operative Rehabilitation Program (PRP) has been proposed as an effective treatment to reduce the incidence of Post-operative Pulmonary Complications (PPCs) and further improve quality of life. However, the relationship between serum SP-D levels and PRP remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the correlation between these two phenomena and validate the feasibility of using preoperative serum SP-D levels to predict or assess the effectiveness of PRP. MethodsA prospective study with a total of 80 lung cancer patients with risk factors for PPCs was conducted; subjects were randomly divided into an Intervention Group (IG, n = 36) and a Control Group (CG, n = 44). The IG was treated with one week of PRP, and the CG was treated for the same duration with routine preoperative preparation before the lobectomy. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected at five time points and serum SP-D levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We analysed the serum level changes of SP-D as well as the PPCs occurred between the two groups. ResultsBoth groups were comparable at baseline. The average levels of SP-D in both groups showed a decline trend with time, and levels before the day of surgery revealed a significant decline range in the IG compared with the CG (6.56 ± 5.30 vs. 1.05 ± 2.79 ng/ml, P < 0.001). The incidence of PPCs in the IG was significantly lower than in the CG (2/36 vs. 10/44, p = 0.032), as were the PPC person-times occurring from postoperative days 1–4 (POD 1–4) (5/36 vs. 15/44, p = 0.038) and the total person-times (5/36 vs. 19/44, p = 0.004). The overall SP-D levels on the day before surgery in patients with PPCs were significantly higher than those without PPCs (34.07 ± 4.32 vs. 30.30 ± 6.52 ng/ml, p = 0.005); furthermore, the overall SP-D levels on admission day in CG patients with PPCs were also significantly higher than those without PPCs (34.93 ± 4.15 vs. 29.81 ± 7.47 ng/ml, p = 0.045). ConclusionsThe Preoperative Intensity Rehabilitation Program could positively decrease the serum SP-D levels in lung cancer patients with PPC risk factors, and higher preoperative serum SP-D levels may related to a higher incidence of PPCs. Serum SP-D may be a potential predictor for evaluating the efficiency of PRPs and the risk of PPC occurrence.

Preoperative exercise training prevents functional decline after lung resection surgery: a randomized, single-blind controlled trial

Objectives: To investigate the effects of a preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation programme in patients with lung cancer undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery. Design: Randomized, single-blind controlled trial. Setting: Teaching hospital. Subjects: Patients with suspected or confirmed lung cancer undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery. Intervention: Participants were randomized to either a prehabilitation group or a control group. Participants in the prehabilitation group underwent a combination of moderate endurance and resistance training plus breathing exercises three to five times per week. Main measures: The primary outcome of the study was exercise capacity. Secondary outcomes were muscle strength (Senior Fitness Test), health-related quality of life (Short-Form 36) and the postoperative outcomes. Patients were evaluated at baseline (before randomization), presurgery (only the prehabilitation group), after surgery and three months post-operatively. Results: A total of 40 patients were randomized and 22 finished the study (10 in the prehabilitation group and 12 in the control group). Three patients were lost to follow-up at three months. After the training, there was a statistically significant improvement in exercise tolerance (+397 seconds, p = 0.0001), the physical summary component of the SF-36 (+4.4 points, p = 0.008) and muscle strength (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences between groups after surgery. However, three months postoperatively, significant differences were found in the mean change of exercise capacity (p = 0.005), physical summary component (p = 0.001) and upper and lower body strength (p = 0.045 and p = 0.002). Conclusions: A pulmonary rehabilitation programme before video-assisted thoracic surgery seems to improve patients’ preoperative condition and may prevent functional decline after surgery. Clinical Registration Number: NCT01963923 (Registration date 10/10/2013)

Perioperative Rehabilitation in Operable Lung Cancer Patients (PROLUCA): A Feasibility Study.

Introduction. Surgical resection in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may be associated with significant morbidity, functional limitations, and decreased quality of life. Objectives. The safety and feasibility of a preoperative and early postoperative rehabilitation program in patients operated for NSCLC was determined in a nonhospital setting, with focus on high-intensity interval exercise. Methods. Forty patients with biopsy-proven NSCLC stages I to IIIa referred for surgical resection at the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery RT, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups (3 intervention groups and 1 control group). The preoperative intervention consisted of a home-based exercise program, while the postoperative exercise program comprised a supervised group exercise program involving resistance and high-intensity interval cardiorespiratory exercise 2 hours weekly for 12 weeks combined with individual counseling. The study endpoints were inclusion rate, adherence, and number of adverse events. Results. Forty patients (of 124 screened; 32%) were included and randomized into the 4 groups. The postoperative exercise was completed by 73% of the patients randomized to this intervention. No adverse events were observed, indicating that the early postoperative exercise program is safe. The preoperative home-based exercise program was not feasible due to interfering diagnostic procedures and fast-track surgery that left only 1 to 2 weeks between diagnosis and surgery. Conclusion. The early postoperative exercise program for patients with NSCLC was safe and feasible, but in a fast-track set up, a preoperative home-based exercise program was not feasible for this population.

Is There a Role for Cardiac Rehabilitation After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting? Treatment After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Remains Incomplete Without Rehabilitation.

Is There a Role for Cardiac Rehabilitation After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting? Treatment After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Remains Incomplete Without Rehabilitation.

Impact of a Pre-Operative Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program on Functional Performance In Patients Undergoing Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery for Lung Cancer

Impact of a Pre-Operative Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program on Functional Performance In Patients Undergoing Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery for Lung Cancer

Preoperative high-intensity training in frail old patients undergoing pulmonary resection for NSCLC.

Thoracic surgery remains the better therapeutic option for non-small cell lung cancer patients that are diagnosed in early stage disease. Preoperative lung function assessment includes respiratory function tests (RFT) and cardio-pulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Vo2 peak, FEV1 and DLCO as well as recognition of performance status, presence of co-morbidities, frailty indexes, and age predict the potential impact of surgical resection on patient health status and survival risk. In this study we have retrospectively assessed the benefit of a high-intensity preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation program (PRP) in 14 patients with underlying lung function impairment prior to surgery. Amongst these, three patients candidate to surgical resection exhibited severe functional impairment associated with high score of frailty according CHS and SOF index, resulting in a substantial mortality risk.Our observations indicate that PRP appear to reduce the mortality and morbidity risk in frail patients with concurrent lung function impairment undergoing thoracic surgery. PRP produced improvement of VO2 peak degree and pulmonary function resulting in reduced postoperative complications in high-risk patients from our cases. Our results indicate that a preoperative training program may improve postoperative clinical outcomes in fraillung cancer patients with impaired lung function prior to surgical resection.

Effects of a prehabilitation program on patients’ recovery following spinal stenosis surgery: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundDegenerative lumbar spinal stenosis is a prevalent condition in adults over the age of 65 and often leads to deconditioning. Although the benefits of surgery outweigh those of conservative approaches, physical rehabilitation may be used to improve function and to minimize the risk of persistent dysfunction. This study protocol was designed to establish the feasibility of a full-scale randomized controlled trial and to assess the efficacy of an active preoperative intervention program on the improvement of clinical parameters and functional physical capacity in patients undergoing surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis.Methods/DesignForty patients will be recruited and randomly allocated to one of the 2 treatment arms: 6 weeks supervised preoperative rehabilitation program (experimental group) or hospital standard preoperative management (control group). The intervention group will be trained three times per week, with each session aiming to improve strength, muscular endurance, spinal stabilization and cardiovascular fitness. Intensity and complexity of exercises will be gradually increased throughout the sessions, depending on each participant’s individual progress. Primary outcomes are level of low back disability and level of pain. Secondary outcomes include the use of pain medication, quality of life, patient’s global impression of change, lumbar extensor muscles endurance, maximum voluntary contraction of lumbar flexor and extensor muscles, maximum voluntary contraction of knee extensors, active lumbar ranges of motion, walking abilities, and cardiovascular capacity. Both the primary and secondary outcomes will be measured at baseline, at the end of the training program (6 weeks after baseline evaluation for control participants), and at 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months postoperatively.DiscussionThis study will inform the design of a future large-scale trial. Improvements of physical performances before undergoing lumbar surgery may limit functional limitations occurring after a surgical intervention. Results of this study will provide opportunity to efficiently improve spinal care and advance our knowledge of favorable preoperative strategies to optimize postoperative recovery.Trial registrationUS National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials registry NCT02258672, 10 February 2014.