3 : It is suggested that deep breathing exercises provide the same benefit as incentive spirometry in the preoperative and postoperative setting to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications .
Incentive spirometry decreases respiratory complications following major abdominal surgery.
Pulmonary complications are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality following major abdominal surgery . Chest physiotherapy aims to decrease the likelihood of these complications and hasten recovery . Exercises aim ed at maximising inspiratory effort are the most beneficial for the patients . The incentive spirometer is a h and held device that patients use to achieve effective inspiration . In a nonr and omised pilot study of 263 patients we have found that the addition of the incentive spirometer , as part of an intensive post-operative physiotherapy programme , decreased the occurrence of pulmonary complications ( 6 vs 17 % , p = 0.01 ) and length of stay on the surgical high dependency unit ( 3.1 vs 4 days p = 0.03 ) . The two groups were comparable when age , sex , smoking history , the need for emergency surgery and post-operative analgesia were compared
3 : It is suggested that deep breathing exercises provide the same benefit as incentive spirometry in the preoperative and postoperative setting to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications .