Efficacy of Pre-Operative Prehabilitation in Patients Undergoing Open Surgery for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the impact of a prehabilitation program on recovery after open surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). This study is a pilot, prospective, randomized control trial aiming to estimate the functional recovery over three months post-surgery between patients who undergo outpatient prehabilitation and those who do not. Open surgery for AAA is a major procedure often performed in patients around 70 years old, with a focus on improving overall functional status to maintain independence in daily activities. The prehabilitation program includes three parts: nutritional advice to ensure adequate caloric and protein intake, muscle-building sessions with a physiotherapist to teach exercises for independent practice, and cardio-respiratory endurance exercises. Participants in the experimental group meet with an adaptive rehabilitation physician 6-8 weeks before surgery to define a personalized prehabilitation protocol and post-operative rehabilitation plan. The control group receives usual care without the prehabilitation protocol. Both groups have post-operative follow-up visits with the surgeon. Participants will complete questionnaires assessing disability and quality of life (WHODAS 2.0, Euro Qol EQ-5D-5L, and DIJON) at 3 and 6 months after surgery. Functional recovery is measured using the WHODAS 2.0 score immediately after surgery and at 3 months post-operatively. The study is sponsored by University Hospital, Toulouse, and participants are followed throughout these time points to compare outcomes between groups.

Evaluation of the Impact of Prehabilitation on Recovery Following Open Surgery for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm