Immediate Effects of Pre-bronchoscopy Pulmonary Physiotherapy on Post-procedure Pulmonary Function in Individuals...

Introduction Pulmonary function plays an essential role in procedural safety and respiratory stability. Flexible bronchoscopy is an important diagnostic and therapeutic procedure; however, procedure-related complications, including hypoxemia, oxygen desaturation, bronchospasm, and laryngeal spasm, may impair pulmonary function and post-procedure recovery. Breathing exercises may improve respiratory performance by enhancing breathing mechanics and strengthening respiratory muscle function. However, evidence regarding the role of pre-bronchoscopy pulmonary physiotherapy remains limited. Methods This quasi-experimental study included 30 individuals undergoing flexible bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Participants were divided into a control group (n = 15) and an experimental group (n = 15). The experimental group received pre-bronchoscopy pulmonary physiotherapy interventions, including relaxed diaphragmatic breathing exercises, thoracic mobility exercises, the controlled cough technique, and low-intensity mobilization, whereas the control group received routine hospital care. Outcome measures, including peak expiratory flow rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and chest expansion, were assessed before the intervention and three to four hours following bronchoscopy. Results Within-group analysis demonstrated significant improvement in oxygen saturation (SpO₂) (93 ± 2.3 to 96 ± 1.9%, p = 0.001) and a significant reduction in respiratory rate (20 ± 1.4 to 18 ± 1.0 breaths/min, p = 0.001) in the experimental group. The control group demonstrated a significant improvement in peak expiratory flow rate (328 ± 61.2 to 310 ± 59.8 L/min, p = 0.001) and significant improvements in chest expansion at all three levels. Between-group analysis showed statistically significant differences in oxygen saturation (p = 0.001) and respiratory rate (p = 0.001), favoring the experimental group. Peak expiratory flow rate did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference between groups (p = 0.85). Chest expansion showed statistical significance only at the axillary level (p = 0.019). Conclusions In our cohort, pre-bronchoscopy pulmonary physiotherapy demonstrated short-term beneficial effects on selected pulmonary parameters, such as oxygen saturation and respiratory rate, in individuals undergoing bronchoscopy.