Effectiveness of prehabilitation strategies in enhancing recovery and postoperative outcomes in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy patients

Clinical Snapshot

Key Findings

• P Value: P < 0.001 for hospital stay; P = 0.038 for complications

• Effect Size: Mean difference -1.23 days hospital stay; 85% relative risk reduction in complications

• Primary Outcome: Postoperative hospital stay reduction of 1.23 days

• Nnt Or Sensitivity: NNT = 10 (based on 10% absolute risk reduction in complications: 11.7% vs 1.7%)

• Confidence Interval: Hospital stay: 95% CI -1.67 to -0.79 days; Complications OR: 95% CI 0.02-0.89

Clinical Application

5-7 day prehabilitation program appears feasible with existing allied health resources Aligns with ANZCA perioperative medicine guidelines; could integrate with existing Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols; potential for Medicare Benefits Schedule consideration Adults undergoing elective laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in tertiary care settings

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the application of a multimodal prehabilitation strategy in patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and to evaluate its impact on postoperative recovery, weight loss, and quality of life. METHODS: This was a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial. A total of 120 eligible patients undergoing elective LSG were enrolled and randomly assigned to either the control group (n = 60), receiving routine perioperative care, or the observation group (n = 60), receiving a structured 5-7-day prehabilitation program. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the observation group had a significantly shorter postoperative hospital stay (mean difference [MD] -1.23 days; 95% CI -1.67 to -0.79; P < 0.001) and a lower incidence of complications (1.7% vs. 11.7%; odds ratio 0.13, 95% CI 0.02-0.89; P = 0.038). At 6 months, the prehabilitation group showed a greater reduction in BMI (MD -3.78 kg/m2; 95% CI -5.10 to -2.46; P < 0.001) and higher quality of life scores across all eight SF-36 domains (P < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSION: The application of prehabilitation strategies in patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy can effectively promote faster postoperative recovery, enhance weight loss, improve quality of life, and reduce the incidence of postoperative complications. It is a safe and effective approach, worthy of clinical promotion. Furthermore, the principles of this multimodal prehabilitation framework offer valuable translational insights for optimizing perioperative supportive care in surgical oncology.

References

1. 1.Zhang, G., Zhang, M., Zhang, C., Li, N., Zhang, J., Zhang, Y., & Zhao, Y. (2026). Effectiveness of prehabilitation strategies in enhancing recovery and postoperative outcomes in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy patients. Supportive Care in Cancer. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1676180