Xing YM, Zhang LQ, Wei MX, Shen YQ, Luan LL. Development of an early mobilization protocol for patients following hepatectomy and its effect on rehabilitation outcomes. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; 18(3): 114683 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v18.i3.114683]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Ling-Ling Luan, Associate Chief Nurse, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 899 Pinghai Road, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China. 13063817375@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Randomized Controlled Trial
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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/
Mar 27, 2026 (publication date) through Mar 30, 2026
Times Cited of This Article
Times Cited (0)
Journal Information of This Article
Publication Name
World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
ISSN
1948-9366
Publisher of This Article
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Xing YM, Zhang LQ, Wei MX, Shen YQ, Luan LL. Development of an early mobilization protocol for patients following hepatectomy and its effect on rehabilitation outcomes. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; 18(3): 114683 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v18.i3.114683]
Yi-Ming Xing, Li-Qun Zhang, Min-Xia Wei, Ling-Ling Luan, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China
Yi-Qing Shen, The Translation Center for Comprehensive Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China
Co-first authors: Yi-Ming Xing and Li-Qun Zhang.
Author contributions: Xing YM and Zhang LQ jointly participated in research design, data collection, and analysis and wrote the first draft of the paper, they contributed equally to this article, they are the co-first authors of this manuscript; Wei MX and Shen YQ assisted in data collation and the literature review and participated in manuscript revision; Luan LL participated in the overall research, review, and finalization of the draft and will be responsible for academic communication; and all authors thoroughly reviewed and endorsed the final manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, approval No. 2025-1184.
Clinical trial registration statement: This study is a randomized controlled trial. Based on the characteristics of the research design and the scope of clinical activities involved, the study was not registered with the Clinical Trial Registry prior to its initiation.
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided written consent prior to study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
CONSORT 2010 statement: The authors have read the CONSORT 2010 Statement, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CONSORT 2010 Statement.
Data sharing statement: There is no additional data available.
Corresponding author: Ling-Ling Luan, Associate Chief Nurse, Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 899 Pinghai Road, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China. 13063817375@163.com
Received: October 28, 2025 Revised: November 29, 2025 Accepted: January 12, 2026 Published online: March 27, 2026 Processing time: 150 Days and 3.7 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Postoperative recovery in hepatectomy patients is often prolonged; early mobilization may improve outcomes, but relevant protocols need development.
AIM
To develop an early postoperative activity program for patients undergoing hepatectomy and to investigate its effect on rehabilitation quality.
METHODS
Two hundred patients undergoing hepatectomy, between January 2022 and January 2023, were enrolled. They were divided into intervention and control groups (100 patients each) using randomized number tables. The control group received routine perioperative care for hepatectomy; the intervention group received the early postoperative activity program developed in this study, in addition to routine care. Differences in postoperative recovery indicators, complications, pain levels, inflammation and stress response indicators, functional recovery and quality of life levels, and nursing satisfaction were compared.
RESULTS
Patients in the intervention group achieved their first postoperative ambulation, passed flatus, completed hospitalization, and had drainage tubes removed earlier than those in the control group. Their International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health - 20-item Functioning Scale fatigue scores on postoperative day 5 were lower than those of the control group, and their 6-minute walk test distances at discharge were longer. They demonstrated higher 36-Item Short Form Health Survey scores at discharge and 1 month postoperatively (P < 0.05). The 30-day postoperative complication rate (15.00%) was lower than that in the control group (31.00%), while overall nursing satisfaction (96.00%) exceeded that of the control group (82.00%), with all differences being statistically significant (P < 0.05). Patients in the intervention group exhibited lower Visual Analogue Scale pain scores and reduced C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels on postoperative days 3 and 5 compared to those in the control group, with a statistically significant interaction effect between the time and group (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
The early postoperative mobilization program is scientifically sound and effective. It significantly improves rehabilitation outcomes in hepatectomy patients, shortens the recovery time, reduces complication rates, alleviates pain, diminishes inflammatory and stress responses, enhances functional recovery and quality of life, and increases nursing satisfaction. This program demonstrates considerable value for clinical implementation.
Core Tip: An early postoperative activity program for hepatectomy patients significantly enhances recovery by accelerating ambulation, gastrointestinal function, and hospital discharge. It reduces pain, inflammatory and stress responses, and postoperative complications, while improving functional capacity, quality of life, and nursing satisfaction. This evidence-based program provides a practical and effective strategy for the perioperative care of hepatectomy patients.
