Nursing postoperative lung cancer patients using continuous positive airway pressure treatment

This study aimed to investigate the nursing of postoperative lung cancer patients treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).

A total of 64 lung cancer patients in our hospital were recruited as the study cohort and randomly divided into a CPAP group and a control group. The patients in the CPAP group (n=30) were administered CPAP, while those in the control group (n=34) were given routine low flow oxygen inhalation, a respiratory stimulant, a bronchodilator, antibiotics, antitussives, anti-inflammatories (glucocorticoids), an apophlegmatisant (ambroxol), basic nutritional support, correcting acidosis, etc. Results: The patients in the CPAP group showed a more significant improvement in their blood gas analysis, and they also had better airway patency and secretion cleaning effects compared with those in the control group. One month after the treatment, the patients in the CPAP group had significantly less inappetence, weight loss, electrolyte disturbance, dyspnea, and pulmonary encephalopathy than the patients in the control group. One week after the treatment, the patients in the CPAP group had higher maximum ventilatory volumes (MVV), higher maximum mid-expiratory flows (MMF), higher forced expiratory volumes in 1s/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), higher peak expiratory flows (PEF), and higher total lung capacity (TLC) than the patients in the control group.

CPAP can significantly improve postoperative dyspnea in lung cancer patients.