To conduct a meta-analysis for the effects of ultra-early postoperative rehabilitation on hospital stay, complications and vasospasm in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, WOS, CNKI, CBM and Wanfang databases were searched by computers to collect control studies on ultra-early rehabilitation of aSAH. The retrieval time limit was from the establishment of the databases to August 2021. The methodological quality of the included literature was evaluated according to Cochrane Handbook Systematic Reviews Interventions, and the Revman 5.2 software was used for meta-analysis.

A total of 5 articles were obtained, with a total of 413 patients. The methodological quality of the 5 studies was lower (grade C). The results of the meta-analysis showed that the average length of stay in the intervention group (mean difference –4.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] –10.69-2.42; P=0.22] and the incidence of complications (odds ratio 0.86, 95% CI 0.40-1.83; P=0.70) were lower than those in the control group, but there was no significant difference. The incidence of cerebral vasospasm in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group, and there was significant difference (odds ratio 0.31, 95% CI 0.18-0.53; P<0.001).

Postoperative ultra-early rehabilitation in patients with aSAH can reduce the incidence of cerebral vasospasm without increasing the incidence of complications. Therefore, the ultra-early rehabilitation can be considered. The methodological quality of the literature included in this study is lower, and high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to further verify the effects of ultra-early rehabilitation on hospital stay, complications, and cerebral vasospasm.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage; Intracranial aneurysm; Neurosurgical procedures; Early ambulation; Length of stay; Postoperative complications; Vasospasm, intracranial; Meta-analysis, Thematic