Digital Versus Face-to-Face Preoperative Physiotherapy Education in Thoracic Surgery: A Pilot Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial.

Authors

Jessica L Ball, Emmah Baque, Ianthe Boden, Matthew P Linnane, Alison Mahoney, Karen Hay, Norman R Morris, Oystein Tronstad

Published in

Heart, lung & circulation. Nov 06, 2026. Epub Nov 06, 2026.

Abstract

This pilot study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability and fidelity of digital video preoperative physiotherapy education compared with face-to-face education for patients undergoing thoracic surgery. It also explored clinical outcomes to inform a future non-inferiority trial of digital education.
This prospective pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial was conducted at a tertiary centre in Brisbane, Australia. Participants were randomly allocated to receive face-to-face physiotherapy education or watch a 13-minute professionally made digital education video before thoracic surgery. Protocol feasibility was assessed as the percentage of patients receiving allocated education. Acceptability was measured using a pre/postoperative questionnaire and postoperative interviews. Protocol fidelity, defined as recall of receiving education, and treatment fidelity, defined as recall of key information, were assessed during postoperative interviews using a preset 24-point scoring schema. Feasibility measures included recruitment, retention and missing data. Exploratory outcomes included postoperative pulmonary complications, hospital length of stay and efficiency.
Sixty-four participants were randomised to face-to-face or digital education before thoracic surgery. All received allocated education, demonstrating 100% protocol feasibility. Both education modes were acceptable and perceived to help with information recall (87% vs 81%) and surgical recovery (93% vs 84%), and included the right amount of information (97% vs 84%). Protocol fidelity (83% vs 87%) and treatment fidelity (median 9.5 [interquartile range (IQR) 6-12] vs 9 [IQR 6-15]) were comparable between groups. Study feasibility was confirmed by 100% recruitment and retention and 95% complete datasets. Hospital length of stay and postoperative pulmonary complications were similar. Digital education was more efficient, saving a median of 10 minutes of preoperative physiotherapist time per patient.
Digital preoperative physiotherapy education for patients undergoing thoracic surgery is feasible, acceptable and efficient, with protocol and treatment fidelity similar to face-to-face education.

PMID:
42995015
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 07 Nov 2026.

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