EFFECTIVENESS OF CHEST PHYSIOTHERAPY AND INCENTIVE SPIROMETRY IN REDUCING LENGTH OF HOSPITAL STAY AND PULMONARY COMPLICATIONS FOLLOWING COLORECTAL SURGERY

Abstract

Background: Major abdominal surgery is associated with an increased risk of PPCs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate effectiveness of immediate post-surgical chest physiotherapy and incentive spirometry in order to reduce hospital stay and PPCs after colorectal surgery.

Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in three military hospitals where CMH Rawalpindi was selected as an intervention cluster in which inpatient physiotherapy was continuously provided as no inpatient physiotherapy was offered in CMH Quetta and CMH Okara. Forty-eight adults who underwent elective colorectal surgery were recruited in this study; patients who have severe pulmonary diseases and those undergoing emergency operations were excluded from the study. Patients received chest physiotherapy and spirometry after the operation in the intervention group while patients in the control group received general postoperative care. Data was collected preoperatively and postoperatively, and statistical analyses were conducted to compare outcomes between groups. Ethical approval was obtained, and informed consent was secured from all participants.

Results: Analysis of the data revealed that chest physiotherapy and incentive spirometry brought notable improvements in postoperative lung function and led to shorter hospital stays for colorectal surgery patients. Specifically, the group receiving interventions saw significant enhancements in their forced vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) compared to those in the control group, with respective p-values of 0.01 and 0.03. Furthermore, the intervention group had an average hospital stay of 9 ± 5.2 days, notably shorter than the control group's 12 ± 7.9 days (p = 0.04).

Conclusions: Chest physiotherapy and spirometry improve postoperative pulmonary function and reduce the length of hospital stay in patients undergoing colorectal surgery.