Fitness tracker monitors postop recovery

Editor's Note

Monitoring patients’ postoperative functional recovery using a commercially available, wireless activity tracker is feasible and strongly correlates with complications reported by patients, finds a study presented October 17 at the 2016 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons.

The median number of steps that patients took on postoperative day 7 strongly correlated with their median score on the complication index.

The researchers say the findings reinforce their belief that surgeons should routinely track patient-centered results, such as postoperative pain, anxiety, and ability to perform activities of daily living.

NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, DC (Monday, October 17, 1 pm EDT): A new way for surgeons to know how well their patients are regaining physical function after a major abdominal operation could be as simple as patients wearing a fitness wristband to count their steps.