The usefulness of respiratory physiotherapy for the prevention of pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery remains unproved .
OBJECTIVE To assess whether respiratory physiotherapy prevents pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery .
Determinants of hospital charges for coronary artery bypass surgery: the economic consequences of postoperative complications.
This is a prospect i ve study of 500 consecutive patients having coronary artery bypass surgery ; mean hospital charge from time of surgery to discharge was + 11,900 + /- 12,700 . Multiple regression analysis was performed using preoperative variables and postoperative complications . No preoperative clinical feature was a significant predictor of higher average charge . Sternal wound infection ( p = 0.0001 ) , respiratory failure ( p = 0.0001 ) and left ventricular failure ( p = 0.017 ) were associated with higher average hospital charge . The absence of any complication predicted a lower average charge , and postoperative death ( 4.4 + /- 4.5 days after surgery ) was also associated with lower average charge . A cost equation was developed : hospital charge equalled $ 11,217 + $ 41,559 of sternal wound infection , + $ 28,756 for respiratory failure , + $ 5,186 for left ventricular failure , - $ 1,798 for no complication and - $ 6,019 for death . Recognition of the influence of complications on charges suggests that low average charges can only be achieved by surgical programs with a low complication rate
The usefulness of respiratory physiotherapy for the prevention of pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery remains unproved .
OBJECTIVE To assess whether respiratory physiotherapy prevents pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery .