RESUMO
BACKGROUND: A rehabilitation program, a multimodal strategy favoring rapid postoperative return to autonomy, has rarely been undertaken after thoracic surgery compared to colectomy. The primary outcome of this fast-track program was the length of postoperative stay. Secondary outcomes concerned the feasibility of this strategy, the incidence of postoperative complications and 3-month postoperative mortality. METHODS: Patients were included in this prospective single-center observational study if they were scheduled for lung resection (lobectomy or wedge resection) performed by posterolateral thoracotomy. The rehabilitation program, coordinated by a referent nurse, included a list of actions to be done, especially early feeding and ambulation, multimodal analgesia including epidural analgesia, early removal of chest tube. RESULTS: One hundred and two patients were included in total with two exclusions (failure of epidural analgesia). The postoperative hospital stay was 8 (7-10) days (median [25-75th percentiles]); this duration was similar to that of the historical cohort which was 9 [7-13] days (P=0.06). Most actions were conducted with a high level of acceptance except for the insertion of a single chest tube (19%) and its removal later than expected in the program. Only 50% of patients left hospital shortly after exit criteria were met suggesting failure in the organization. Patients' satisfaction rate reached 77% and no postoperative death was reported during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: A program for early rehabilitation is feasible after thoracotomy. Chest drainage and organization to optimize the length of stay are crucial points.