Functional results and feasibility of a teleprehabilitation program in patients who are candidates for elective colorectal cancer surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIM: To assess the value of a prehabilitation program adapted to the current COVID-19 pandemic using a teleprehabilitation modality in a public Latin American hospital. METHODS: The medical records of candidates for elective colorectal cancer surgery (CRC) and who completed a teleprehabiltation program were analyzed. Sociodemographic, clinical, and functional variables were analyzed, such as cardiorespiratory capacity with the sit-to-stand test (STST), independence in activities of daily living with the Barthel index, balance with the five-times STST (FSTST) and fatigue with Brief Inventory Fatigue (BFI). The feasibility of the program was analyzed in terms of recruitment, retention, user satisfaction, and reporting of adverse events. RESULTS: Of 107 people recruited, 57 completed the program (54%, 68.78 ± 12.36 years). There was a significant difference in the BFI, FSTST, and STS 1-min scores after the intervention (p < .01), with an effect size (Cliff's delta) that varied between -.13 and .21. There were no differences in the Barthel index score. In relation to the viability of the program, 99% of patients referred for surgery could be recruited into the program, with 53% retention. Regarding user satisfaction with the program, seven items (77.7%) were rated as "very satisfied," and two items (22.3%) as "satisfied." No adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSION: The structured prehabilitation program adapted to teleprehabilitation for CRC candidates for surgery was effective in optimizing functional results prior to surgery and was feasible to implement in a public hospital with limited resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.