Post-operative delayed ambulation after thymectomy is associated withpre-operative six-minute walk distance

Objective: Delayed post-operative ambulation is a risk of post-operative complications and increases overall healthcare costs. We investigated pre-operative and intraoperative variables associated with delayed ambulation in patients who underwent thymectomy. Methods: A total of 57 consecutive patients undergoing thymectomy were included in this study. Pre-operative functional exercise capacity was evaluated by six-minute walk distance. Ambulation was considered to be delayed if the patient could not walk the ward on post-operative day 1. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to clarify the factors associated with delayed ambulation. Results: Pre-operative six-minute walk distance was the only significant variable that was associated with delayed ambulation. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting delayed ambulation was 0.684 (95% confidential interval: 0.546-0.823, p = 0.017), and the optimal discriminatory pre-operative six-minute walk distance value was 498 m. Post-operative hospital stay was significantly longer in patients with low six-minute walk distance (<498 m) than those with high six-minute walk distance (>498 m). In contrast, the presence of myasthenia gravis or adjuvant chemoradiotherapy was not associated with delayed ambulation. Conclusions: Our results suggest that low pre-operative six-minute walk distance is associated with delayed post-operative ambulation and longer post-operative hospital stay in patients who underwent thymectomy. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION The predictors for delayed ambulation after thymectomy are not fully investigated. The presence of myasthenia gravis was not associated with delayed ambulation. Low pre-operative six-minute walk distance was associated with delayed ambulation.