Published online Feb 27, 2023. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v15.i2.201
Peer-review started: September 9, 2022
First decision: December 26, 2022
Revised: January 11, 2023
Accepted: January 30, 2023
Article in press: January 30, 2023
Published online: February 27, 2023
Processing time: 170 Days and 19.8 Hours
In China, as the population grows older, the number of elderly people who have died from respiratory problems has increased.
To investigate whether enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)-based respiratory function training may help older patients who had abdominal surgery suffer fewer pulmonary problems, shorter hospital stays, and improved lung function.
The data of 231 elderly individuals having abdominal surgery was retrospectively analyzed. Based on whether ERAS-based respiratory function training was provided, patients were divided into ERAS group (n = 112) and control group (n = 119). Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and respiratory tract infection (RTI) were the primary outcome variables. Secondary outcome variables included the Borg score Scale, FEV1/FVC and postoperative hospital stay.
The percentage of 18.75% of ERAS group participants and 34.45% of control group participants, respectively, had respiratory infections (P = 0.007). None of the individuals experienced PE or DVT. The ERAS group’s median postoperative hospital stay was 9.5 d (3-21 d) whereas the control groups was 11 d (4-18 d) (P = 0.028). The Borg score decreased on the 4th d following surgery in the ERAS group compared to the 2nd d prior (P = 0.003). The incidence of RTIs was greater in the control group than in the ERAS group among patients who spent more than 2 d in the hospital before surgery (P = 0.029).
ERAS-based respiratory function training may reduce the risk of pulmonary complications in older individuals undergoing abdominal surgery.
Core Tip: One of the major factors contributing to morbidity and mortality during the perioperative period were postoperative pulmonary complications after abdominal surgery. Clinical judgment and improved outcomes required rapid identification of high-risk individuals and intervention. We compared the pulmonary complications between the two groups using the predefined observation indicators after retrospectively analyzing the postoperative data of 231 older patients divided into two groups based on various preoperative respiratory function training methods. As compared to traditional respiratory function training techniques, enhanced recovery after surgery-based respiratory function training may reduce the probability of pulmonary complications in older patients who have undergone abdominal surgery.