Preoperative physiotherapy in prevention of pulmonary complications in pediatric cardiac surgery

Felcar JM, Guitti JC, Marson AC, Cardoso JR

The object of this study was to evaluate the occurrence and risk of pulmonary complications in children who underwent pre-and postoperative physiotherapeutic intervention in cardiac surgeries, as well as to compare these patients to those who underwent only postoperative physiotherapeutic intervention. 135 patients from 6 years of age and younger with congenital heart disease who had undergone cardiac surgery were randomly assigned to the intervention group (G1) in which they underwent pre- and postoperative physiotherapy or to the control group (G2) in which they underwent only postoperative physiotherapy.

The results showed that preoperative respiratory physiotherapy significantly reduced the risk of pulmonary complications in postoperative pediatric cardiac surgery.

Rev Bras Cir Cardiovasc. 2008 Sep;23(3):383-8

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