{
  "id": 15488211,
  "title": "Could staying active before surgery help prevent postoperative delirium?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/could-staying-active-before-surgery-help-prevent-postoperative",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-18T20:30:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-staying-surgery-postoperative-delirium.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "A new study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2026 annual meeting suggests that staying active before cancer surgery may help prevent postoperative delirium. The research, conducted by Melody Haratian and Jeffrey Huang, found that patients who engaged in regular physical activity, including walking and moderate to vigorous exercise, at least seven times a week were 50% less likely to develop postoperative delirium compared to those who were less active. Postoperative delirium, a state of confusion affecting about 20% of surgical patients, particularly older adults, can lead to longer hospital stays, delayed recovery, and increased risk of death. The study emphasizes the importance of preparing for surgery through prehabilitation, which includes exercise and nutrition strategies, to improve recovery and outcomes. Patients are advised to discuss safe ways to stay active with their healthcare team and consider participating in a prehabilitation program before undergoing major surgery.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}