ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Respiratory Medicine 2022 December;61(4):162-7

DOI: 10.23736/S2784-8477.22.01988-X

Copyright © 2022 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Respiratory stimulation physical therapy may improve recovery after thoracoscopic lung cancer resection in senior patients

Liu HU, Xueping LUN, Jiayi HE, Huirong SUN, Huiying HUANG, Siyuan ZHAO, Ximei ZHUANG, Hongjie ZHENG ✉

Department of Thoracic Surgery, Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer has a higher mortality than other cancers, and the incidence increases with age. Thoracoscopic lung cancer resection is widely performed. We use four steps of respiratory stimulation (philtrum, lateral chest, anterior chest, abdominal) physical therapy to help patients with inefficient airway clearance. Our study evaluated if this therapy could improve breathing and airway clearance and prevent postoperative pulmonary complications. This research is a retrospective case control study, involving an inpatient Department of Thoracic Surgery of the Seventh Affiliated Hospital (Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China).
METHODS: From January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020, we collected cases presenting at our center and compared blood oxygen saturation (SPO2), arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2), sputum volume and viscosity, pulmonary complications and length of hospital stay between senior patients with and without our therapy postoperatively. Population of this study included in-hospital patients.
RESULTS: Forty-nine patients who received our therapy were enrolled in the therapy group, and 48 patients with similar characteristics but refused to receive our therapy were enrolled in the control group. The therapy group had better postoperative SPO2 (99.37±0.6% vs. 97.48±1.2%, P<0.001), PaO2105.49±4.8 mmHg vs. 100.4±7.68 mmHg, P<0.001), less postoperative sputum volume, thinner sputum viscosity, fewer postoperative pulmonary complications and shorter length of hospital stay (days, 8.10±1.372 vs. 10.94±2.046; P=0.48) than the control group.
CONCLUSIONS: Our cost-free, easy-to-perform therapy could help senior patients improve breathing and airway clearance, prevent postoperative pulmonary complications, and speed up recovery after thoracoscopic lung cancer resection. Our respiratory stimulation could speed up recovery, thus patients might be able to leave the hospital earlier and continue physical therapy and recovery at home or in rehabilitation clinics.

KEY WORDS: Stimulation, chemical; Physical therapy modalities; Complications; Lung neoplasms