Prerehabilitation Intervention in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Patients with Elective Repair: Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction : Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening vascular condition requiring surgical intervention. Prehabilitation, particularly exercise training, has emerged as a strategy to optimize patients' physical and mental readiness for surgery, potentially improving postoperative outcomes. This review examines the efficacy of prehabilitation programs in enhancing survival, reducing complications, and shortening hospital stays for elective AAA repair patients.

Method: A literature review search was conducted using Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest (2020–2025) with keywords: exercise training, prehabilitation, and elective AAA repair. Four studies (two RCTs, two cohort studies) from Sweden, the Netherlands, and the UK were selected. The PICO framework guided data extraction, focusing on interventions like supervised exercise (SEP), multimodal prehabilitation, and community-based programs. Variables included survival rates, postoperative delirium, and hospital stay. Data were analyzed descriptively.

Results: Based on the results of the article search, it was found that there are several types of prerehabilitation interventions in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) patients, namely supervised exercise (SEP), multimodal prehabilitation, and community-based programs.

Conclusion:  Prehabilitation with exercise training interventions  has great potential in improving surgical outcomes in vascular surgery patients. Exercise training can improve the patient's functional capacity, reduce inflammation, improve immune function, and improve psychological well-being.