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The value of self-administered peri-operative physiotherapy
B L Crawford1, W P Blunnie, A G Elliott
1Department of Physiotherapy, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin.
Irish Journal of Medical Science
|February 1, 1990
Summary
Physiotherapy instruction before cholecystectomy improved respiratory function post-surgery. Patients receiving physiotherapy showed better respiratory function on the second day compared to the control group.
Area of Science:
- Medicine
- Surgery
- Physiotherapy
Background:
- Cholecystectomy is a common surgical procedure.
- Post-operative respiratory complications can occur after abdominal surgery.
- Physiotherapy is often used to aid post-operative recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of pre-operative physiotherapy instruction on respiratory function after cholecystectomy.
- To compare respiratory function tests between a physiotherapy-treated group and a control group.
Main Methods:
- Sixty patients undergoing cholecystectomy were randomly assigned to a control group or a physiotherapy instruction group.
- Respiratory function tests were performed pre-operatively and on post-operative days 2 and 5.
- Key metrics included forced vital capacity (F.V.C.) and peak flow (P.F.).
Main Results:
- No significant differences in respiratory function were observed pre-operatively between the groups.
- A statistically significant difference in respiratory function was found on post-operative day 2 for all tests.
- The control group showed a maintained reduction in forced vital capacity (F.V.C.) and peak flow (P.F.) on post-operative day 5.
Conclusions:
- Pre-operative physiotherapy instruction positively impacts respiratory function immediately following cholecystectomy.
- Early post-operative respiratory function is significantly better in patients receiving physiotherapy.
- The benefits of physiotherapy may diminish or plateau by the fifth post-operative day without continued intervention.