Enhanced Perioperative Mobilization (EPM) Trial

Patients undergoing elective open and laparoscopic surgery of colon, rectum, stomach, pancreas and liver for any indication will be included. Further inclusion criteria are: age between 18-75 years, ASA score < 4, and a signed informed consent. Patients are stratified into two subgroups (laparoscopic and open surgery) and will be randomized 1:1 for an autofeedback of their step-count using an activity tracker wristband or for the control group without autofeedback. Sample size (n = 29 patients in each of the four groups, overall n = 119) is calculated on an assumed difference in step-count of 250 steps daily (intervention versus control group). The primary study endpoint is the step-count during the first five postoperative days; secondary endpoints are the percentage of patients in the two groups, who master the predefined mobilization (step-count) targets, the assessment of additional activity data from the devices, the assessment of the preoperative mobility, length of hospital and intensive care unit stay, number of patients who receive physiotherapy, 30-day mortality, and the overall 30-day morbidity.

Inclusion criteria

• elective laparoscopic and open surgery of the colon and rectum (colectomy, hemicolectomy, segment resection, rectum extirpation, deep anterior rectum resection, sigmoid resection, proctocolectomy), of the stomach (total, subtotal and atypical gastric resections), of the pancreas (any kind of pancreatic resections), and of the liver (hemihepatectomy, atypical resection, anatomical segment resection)
• ASA score < IV
• completed informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• emergency surgery
• mental inability to complete postoperative assessment protocols
• preoperatively immobile patients