Prehabilitation

Abstract

As the geriatric population continues to grow, the number of elderly patients undergoing major surgeries has also increased. These patients have a higher incidence of postoperative complications, potentially resulting in long-term disability, prolonged hospitalization and poor quality of life. Recent research has identified several predictive factors for postoperative morbidity and mortality; these include premorbid functional dependence, malnutrition, anaemia, cognitive impairment and an increased number of comorbidities. A rising body of evidence shows that optimization of patients’ physiological, physical, nutritional and mental status in the preoperative setting may improve the overall surgical outcome. This is known as prehabilitation. This article focuses on the multi-modal approach for prehabilitation – which comprises of medical optimization, exercise therapy, nutritional supplementation, and psychological support.