SANUM: Revista Científico-Sanitaria / Scientific-Health Journal
Published July 29, 2026 | Version v1
Journal article Open

SERIE CLÍNICA POST-UCI: FRAGILIDAD PERSISTENTE, RUPTURA FUNCIONAL Y REORGANIZACIÓN DE LA VIDA COTIDIANA DURANTE EL PRIMER AÑO POSTERIOR AL EGRESO DE CUIDADOS INTENSIVOS

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Facultad de Salud, Universidad del Cauca, Popayán, Colombia.
  • 2. Facultad de Salud, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Programa de Medicina, Cali, Colombia.
  • 3. San Martín Pasto, Pasto, Colombia
  • 4. Fundación Hospital San Pedro, Unidad Cardioquirúrgica, Pasto, Colombia
  • 5. Universidad de Nariño, Fundación Hospital San Pedro, Pasto, Colombia
  • 6. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Nariño, Programa de Medicina, Pasto Colombia.
  • 7. Universidad del Cauca, Popayán, Colombia.

Description

Tipo de artículo: Serie de casos clínicos

La supervivencia posterior a una estancia en unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI) ha aumentado progresivamente durante las últimas décadas; sin embargo, muchos pacientes continúan experimentando secuelas físicas, cognitivas, emocionales y sociales que persisten mucho después del alta hospitalaria. 

 El presente estudio describe las trayectorias clínicas y humanas de sobrevivientes de UCI durante el primer año posterior al egreso hospitalario. Se desarrolló una serie clínica con enfoque clínico-narrativo basada en seguimiento ambulatorio de 15 sobrevivientes de cuidados intensivos atendidos en una institución colombiana entre 2023 y 2025. La información fue obtenida mediante revisión de historias clínicas y entrevistas semiestructuradas orientadas a explorar experiencias corporales, funcionales y emocionales posteriores a la enfermedad crítica. Los relatos mostraron trayectorias persistentes de fatiga, debilidad adquirida, inseguridad corporal, alteraciones del sueño, ansiedad frente a recaídas y pérdida parcial de autonomía.

 Muchos participantes describieron el primer año posterior al egreso como una etapa marcada por fragilidad persistente, reorganización de la vida cotidiana y dificultad para recuperar la continuidad vital previa al ingreso a UCI. Asimismo, emergió una percepción recurrente de invisibilización emocional dentro del seguimiento ambulatorio convencional.

 Los hallazgos sugieren que la recuperación posterior a cuidados intensivos constituye un proceso multidimensional que trasciende la supervivencia biológica y requiere estrategias longitudinales centradas en rehabilitación física, salud mental y reconstrucción funcional del paciente crítico sobreviviente.

Abstract (English)

Article type: Case series

Survival after intensive care unit (ICU) admission has progressively increased during recent decades; however, many patients continue to experience persistent physical, cognitive, emotional, and social sequelae long after hospital discharge.

 This study describes the clinical and human trajectories of ICU survivors during the first year following discharge. A clinical-narrative case series was conducted based on outpatient follow-up of 15 ICU survivors treated in a Colombian healthcare institution between 2023 and 2025. Data were obtained through medical record review and semi-structured interviews exploring bodily, functional, and emotional experiences after critical illness.

 Narratives revealed persistent trajectories of fatigue, acquired weakness, bodily insecurity, sleep disturbances, anxiety regarding relapse, and partial loss of autonomy. Most participants described the first post-discharge year as a period characterized by persistent fragility, reorganization of daily life, and difficulty recovering previous life continuity. Emotional invisibility during routine outpatient follow-up also emerged recurrently.

 These findings suggest that post-intensive care recovery represents a multidimensional process extending beyond biological survival and requiring longitudinal strategies focused on physical rehabilitation, mental health, and functional reconstruction of critically ill survivors.

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Additional details

Additional titles

Translated title (English)
POST-ICU CLINICAL SERIES: PERSISTENT FRAGILITY, FUNCTIONAL DISRUPTION, AND REORGANIZATION OF DAILY LIFE DURING THE FIRST YEAR AFTER INTENSIVE CARE DISCHARGE

Dates

Collected
2026-05-25
manuscrito recibido
Accepted
2026-07-12
evaluación doble ciego
Available
2026-07-29
publicación en número de la revista

Software

Repository URL
https://revistacientificasanum.com/

References

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