Prehabilitation exercise therapy ahead of elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: A commentary of existing evidence to inform clinical practise

Abstract

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a condition in which the abdominal aorta becomes enlarged, posing a risk of rupture and life-threatening haemorrhage. Abdominal aortic aneurysm accounts for a substantial number of fatalities worldwide, with mortality rates of up to 80 percent. Abdominal aortic aneurysms are often asymptomatic and are frequently discovered incidentally during tests for unrelated conditions. Surgery is required for aneurysms exceeding 5.5cm in men and 5cm in women, but post-surgical complications such as intra-abdominal adhesions, limb ischaemia and renal failure are common. There is some evidence showing that exercise, including prehabilitation, may be effective in improving patient outcomes post-surgery. However, there is a dearth of literature that has synthesised existing evidence related to the effectiveness of prehabilitation on patient outcomes post-surgery, and which has expanded upon its implications for clinical practise. This commentary aims to critically appraise the most recent Cochrane review in this area, and expand upon these findings to inform clinical practice.