Digital Follow-up Program After Discharge Home Following Thoracic Surgery

NCT ID: NCT07044440

Last Updated: 2025-08-05

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 200 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-07-30
• Study Completion Date: 2026-06-30

Brief Summary

The aim of the study is to evaluate whether a digital follow-up program can improve postoperative pain management and quality of life in patients during the first 28 days after discharge home following thoracic surgery, compared to standard follow-up care.

Detailed Description

Thoracic surgery is essential for treating conditions such as thoracic malignancies, trauma, and chronic pulmonary diseases. While often life-saving, recovery after thoracic surgery can be challenging. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programs have improved outcomes across surgical fields, but their impact on postoperative quality of life (QoL) in thoracic surgery is under-researched.

QoL post-surgery involves factors such as pain, physical and respiratory function, psychological well-being, and return to daily life. Effective communication between patients and their physicians post-discharge is crucial for early detection and management of complications.

Studies in other surgical areas (e.g., colorectal and cardiac surgery) have shown that mobile apps for follow-up can reduce emergency visits, readmissions, and improve patient experience. However, similar evidence is scarce in thoracic surgery. Existing studies suggest electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) systems could help monitor symptoms and improve care, but further research is needed.

Despite promising results in other specialties, there is limited evidence on the use of digital tools to monitor and support recovery after thoracic surgery. Given the importance of pain management, QoL, and preventing complications, the researchers aim to explore whether a digital follow-up program could offer measurable benefits for patients recovering at home.

The study aims to develop and evaluate a digital follow-up program for patients in the first 28 days after discharge home from thoracic surgery. The primary objective is to assess whether active, digital patient-physician communication can improve postoperative pain outcomes, compared to standard follow-up care.

Conditions

Thoracic Surgery; Mobile Health; Post Operative Recovery; Follow-up

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

digital follow-up

digital follow-up by questionnaire in addition to routine follow-up

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

digital outpatient follow-up

Intervention Type: OTHER

In addition to routine outpatient follow-up visits on day 14 and 28 post-operative, digital follow-up by questionnaire on their health status and general well-being are provided. Possibility to request an interaction with a doctor from our department at any time during the 28 days following discharge

standard follow-up

routine follow-up

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

standard follow-up

Intervention Type: OTHER

routine outpatient follow-up visits on day 14 and 28 post-operative

Interventions

digital outpatient follow-up

In addition to routine outpatient follow-up visits on day 14 and 28 post-operative, digital follow-up by questionnaire on their health status and general well-being are provided. Possibility to request an interaction with a doctor from our department at any time during the 28 days following discharge

Intervention Type: OTHER

standard follow-up

routine outpatient follow-up visits on day 14 and 28 post-operative

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients who have signed an informed consent form and underwent a surgery performed at the Thoracic Surgery Department of the University Hospital Basel
• Age ≥ 18 years at the time of informed consent
• First participation in the Study
• Patient operated under general anesthesia
• Patients who are in possession of a smart phone or personal computer and have an e-mail account and are able to answer a digital questionnaire. Or an immediate caretaker in the same household owns a smartphone or personal computer and is familiar with the use
• Patients who understand verbal and written German or French
• Patients discharged at home after surgery
• Hospital stay > 3 nights after surgery

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients under preoperative opioid/cortisone therapy
• Patients who are unable to follow the procedure of the study, e. g. read or understand German or French, psychological disorders, dementia, etc.
• Enrolment of the investigator, his/her family members, employees and other dependent person
• Patients with polytrauma or who underwent mediastinoscopy

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Didier Lardinois, Prof. MD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Locations

University Hospital Basel

Basel, , Switzerland

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Switzerland

Central Contacts

Zeljko Djakovic, MD

Role: CONTACT

zeljko.djakovic@usb.ch

+41 61 328 51 96

Facility Contacts

Zeljko Djakovic, MD

Role: primary

zeljko.djakovic@usb.ch

+41 61 328 51 96

Other Identifiers

2025-00796;kt25Lardinois3

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id