Physical therapy management for enhanced recovery in postoperative patients and prevention of pulmonary complications

Abstract

Postoperative pulmonary complications are common after cardiac, lung or abdominal surgery. Postoperative pulmonary complications such as atelectasis, pneumonia and respiratory failure are involved respiratory problems. Patients presented with abnormal breathing pattern, impaired gas exchange, airway obstruction, and decreased physical capacity caused by reduced lung volume, decreased lung expansion, reduced mucociliary clearance and impaired lung function. The objective of the study was to review physical therapy management and how to enhance recovery after cardiac, lung or abdominal surgery in postoperative patients. A systematic search using PubMed and Elsevier
database was selected from 2016 to 2021. Studies suggest that physical therapy technique including deep breathing exercise, using incentive spirometry, enhancing sputum expectoration, range of motion exercises of thoracic and extremities, early mobilization, early ambulation are widely used in hospital. Furthermore, physical therapy program can effort clinically to increase lung expansion, lung function, prevent lung atelectasis and reduce the risk of other incidences of postoperative pulmonary complications, a shorter hospital length stays, decrease mortality rate and promote patient’s recovery in postoperative patients.