Yao JX, Liu YQ, Liu LJ, Xu TW, Tian H. Research progress on rational medication and comprehensive care for elderly patients after gastrointestinal surgery under surgery-Chinese medicine-convalescence model. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; 18(10): 122544 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.122544]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Hua Tian, MD, Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, Navy Qingdao Special Service Sanatorium Center, No. 8 Taipingjiao 2nd Road, Shinan District, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China. tian.lehua@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
review-article
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
Share the Article
Yao JX, Liu YQ, Liu LJ, Xu TW, Tian H. Research progress on rational medication and comprehensive care for elderly patients after gastrointestinal surgery under surgery-Chinese medicine-convalescence model. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; 18(10): 122544 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.122544]
World J Gastrointest Surg. Oct 27, 2026; 18(10): 122544 Published online Oct 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.122544
Research progress on rational medication and comprehensive care for elderly patients after gastrointestinal surgery under surgery-Chinese medicine-convalescence model
Jin-Xin Yao, Yu-Qian Liu, Tian-Wei Xu, Department of Rehabilitation Eleven, Navy Qingdao Special Service Sanatorium Center, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
Li-Jun Liu, Department of Rehabilitation Twelve, Navy Qingdao Special Service Sanatorium Center, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
Hua Tian, Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, Navy Qingdao Special Service Sanatorium Center, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China
Co-first authors: Jin-Xin Yao and Yu-Qian Liu.
Author contributions: Yao JX and Liu YQ contributed equally to this work and are co-first authors of this manuscript. Yao JX and Liu YQ contributed to literature collection, data collation, research analysis, and manuscript drafting and revision; Tian H provided overall research guidance, supervised the entire research process, and conducted the critical review and final revision of the manuscript; Liu LJ and Xu TW participated in literature screening, data verification, and manuscript proofreading. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
AI contribution statement: The authors declare that no AI tools were used in the development or writing of this manuscript and take full responsibility for its integrity, accuracy, and originality.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Hua Tian, MD, Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, Navy Qingdao Special Service Sanatorium Center, No. 8 Taipingjiao 2nd Road, Shinan District, Qingdao 266071, Shandong Province, China. tian.lehua@163.com
Received: June 10, 2026 Revised: July 9, 2026 Accepted: August 10, 2026 Published online: October 27, 2026 Processing time: 125 Days and 8.3 Hours
Abstract
With the rapid global aging of the population, the number of elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery has increased substantially. Compared with younger populations, elderly individuals frequently present with frailty, multimorbidity, impaired physiological reserve, and increased susceptibility to postoperative complications. These characteristics create substantial challenges for perioperative management and long-term functional recovery. Although enhanced recovery after surgery has significantly improved perioperative outcomes, its primary focus remains on the surgical admission period, and additional strategies are required to address the prolonged rehabilitation needs of elderly patients. The surgery-traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-convalescence integrated model has therefore been proposed as a multidisciplinary framework that combines precision surgery, TCM-based personalized regulation, and continuous rehabilitation management. This review summarizes the current evidence regarding rational medication strategies, TCM interventions, and comprehensive rehabilitation approaches within this integrated model. Particular attention is given to evidence-supported interventions, including multimodal analgesia, nutritional optimization, microbiome-related strategies, and digital rehabilitation monitoring. Meanwhile, emerging approaches such as artificial intelligence-assisted syndrome differentiation are discussed with caution because of insufficient clinical validation. Current evidence suggests that the surgery-TCM-convalescence model provides a promising framework for personalized postoperative management in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. However, further multicenter clinical studies, standardized intervention protocols, and evidence-based evaluation systems are required before widespread implementation.
Core Tip: This review summarizes the surgery-traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-convalescence model for elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. It highlights recent advances in rational medication management, evidence-based TCM interventions, nutritional support, rehabilitation strategies, and multidisciplinary postoperative care. By integrating conventional surgical treatment with TCM and comprehensive rehabilitation throughout the recovery process, this model aims to improve functional recovery, reduce postoperative complications, enhance quality of life, and provide practical guidance for optimizing perioperative management in elderly patients.
