Mask physiotherapy in patients after heart surgery: a controlled study

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary rehabilitation
• Thoracic surgery outcomes
• Respiratory physiotherapy

Background:

• Post-operative pulmonary complications are a significant concern following thoracic surgery.
• Effective physiotherapy interventions are crucial for improving patient recovery and reducing morbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of positive expiratory pressure (PEP) and inspiratory resistance-PEP (IR-PEP) mask physiotherapy on post-operative complications in patients undergoing thoracic surgery.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized, controlled study involving 97 low-risk male patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
• Patients received routine chest physiotherapy alone, or with PEP, or with IR-PEP.
• Post-operative pulmonary complications were assessed using spirometry (FVC), blood gas analysis (PaO2), and chest X-ray.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences in pulmonary complications were observed between the three groups.
• A trend towards a reduced risk of post-operative complications was noted in patients using PEP and IR-PEP masks.
• Patients using PEP masks showed a borderline significant increase in PaO2 from post-operative day 3 to day 6 compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

• While not statistically significant, PEP and IR-PEP physiotherapy may offer a tendency towards decreased post-operative complications after thoracic surgery.
• Further research with larger cohorts may be warranted to confirm these findings.
• Patient-reported outcomes indicated general satisfaction with the treatments, though IR-PEP was slightly less favored.