Mobilization associated with fewer postoperative complications, shorter hospital stays

Editor's Note

In a recent study led by researchers at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH, mobilization after elective surgery was found to be associated with fewer postoperative complications and shorter lengths of stay (LOS), and is an important component of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols.

This retrospective observational study included 8,653 patients who underwent at least 2 hours of elective surgery and 48 hours of hospitalization between February 2017 and October 2020. Using wearable accelerometers, mobilization was assessed over the first 48 hours post-surgery, with a median mobilization of 1.6 hours per day.

Each 4-minute-per-hour increase in mobilization was associated with a 25% less chance of composite complications.  Myocardial injury, ileus, pulmonary complications, and mortality were individually associated with duration of mobilization, which are consistent with previous studies on this topic.

Shorter LOS were attributed to fewer complications, however previous related studies have found mixed results in LOS.

Adoption of increased mobilization in postsurgical patients may be difficult as it requires “a substantial effort on the part of nurses and patients, although the potential gain might be clinically meaningful if the results could be borne out in a clinical trial setting.”