Background: Cardiac surgery is frequently associated with prolonged recovery, postoperative complications, and extended hospitalization. Early postoperative mobilization has emerged as a promising intervention to improve functional outcomes and reduce hospital stay, yet evidence in cardiac surgical patients remains limited and inconsistent. Objective: To determine whether early postoperative mobilization improves recovery time, reduces complications, and shortens hospital stay in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted over 12 months at a tertiary care hospital in Lahore. A total of 132 adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery were randomized into two groups: early mobilization (n=66) and standard care (n=66). The intervention group-initiated mobilization within 24 hours post-surgery. Primary outcomes included recovery time to functional independence (Modified Barthel Index ≥90), incidence of postoperative complications, and length of hospital stay. Statistical analyses were performed using independent-samples t-tests and chi-square tests; p-values <0.05 were considered significant. Results: Patients in the early mobilization group achieved functional recovery faster (5.2 ± 1.1 days) compared to the standard care group (7.9 ± 1.5 days; p=0.001). Pulmonary infection and delirium were significantly less frequent in the early mobilization group (6.1% and 4.5%, respectively) than in the control group (15.2% and 13.6%; p=0.048 and p=0.041). Mean hospital stay was also reduced (8.4 ± 2.0 vs. 11.2 ± 2.6 days; p=0.001). Conclusion: Early mobilization significantly enhances postoperative recovery, lowers complication rates, and reduces hospitalization duration in cardiac surgery patients, supporting its integration into routine postoperative care protocols.
Javed et al. (Mon,) studied this question.