The rehabilitation needs of individuals undergoing thoracic surgery are changing, especially as surgical management is increasingly being offered to patients who are at risk of developing functional limitations during and after hospital discharge. In the past rehabilitative management of these patients was frequently limited to specific respiratory physiotherapy interventions in the immediate postoperative setting with the aim to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications. In the past two decades, this focus has shifted toward pulmonary rehabilitation interventions that aim to improve functional status of individuals, both in the pre- and (longer-term) postoperative period. While there is increased interest in (p)rehabilitation interventions the majority of thoracic surgery patients are however currently on their own with respect to progression of their exercise and physical activity regimens after they have been discharged from hospital. There are also no formal guidelines supporting the referral of these patients to outpatient rehabilitation programs. The current evidence regarding rehabilitation interventions initiated before, during, and after the hospitalization period will be briefly reviewed with special focus on patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer treatment and patients undergoing lung transplantation. More research will be necessary in the coming years to modify or change clinical rehabilitation practice beyond the acute admission phase in patients undergoing thoracic surgery. Tele rehabilitation or web-based activity counseling programs might also be interesting emerging alternatives in the (long-term) postoperative rehabilitative treatment of these patients.

接受胸外科手术的患者的康复需求正在发生变化，特别是越来越多地向出院期间和出院后有功能限制风险的患者提供外科治疗。过去，这些患者的康复管理常常仅限于术后立即进行特定的呼吸物理治疗干预，目的是预防术后肺部并发症。在过去的二十年中，这一重点已转向肺部康复干预措施，旨在改善个体术前和（长期）术后的功能状态。尽管人们对康复干预的兴趣日益浓厚，但大多数胸外科患者在出院后目前仍需自行进行锻炼和身体活动方案的进展。也没有正式的指南支持将这些患者转诊至门诊康复计划。将简要回顾目前关于住院之前、期间和之后开始的康复干预的证据，特别关注接受肺癌治疗手术的患者和接受肺移植的患者。未来几年需要更多的研究来修改或改变接受胸外科手术的患者急性入院阶段之后的临床康复实践。远程康复或基于网络的活动咨询计划也可能是这些患者（长期）术后康复治疗中有趣的新兴替代方案。