Evidence derived from small trials suggests that preoperative physical therapy reduces postoperative pulmonary complications ( atelectasis and pneumonia ) and length of hospital stay in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery .
There is a lack of evidence that preoperative physical therapy reduces postoperative pneumothorax , prolonged mechanical ventilation or all-cause deaths
BACKGROUND After cardiac surgery , physical therapy is a routine procedure delivered with the aim of preventing postoperative pulmonary complications .
OBJECTIVES To determine if preoperative physical therapy with an exercise component can prevent postoperative pulmonary complications in cardiac surgery patients , and to evaluate which type of patient benefits and which type of physical therapy is most effective .
Postoperative chest radiographic changes after on- and off-pump coronary surgery.
AIM A variety of chest radiograph abnormalities are recognized after coronary artery bypass grafting ( CABG ) . This study analyzes the appearance of preoperative and postoperative chest radiographs in two groups of patients undergoing myocardial revascularization with or without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass ( CPB ) .  METHODS Chest radiographs ( preoperative and at 1 day , 6 days and 6 to 8 weeks post operatively ) were analyzed according to a detailed protocol in cases of  conventional CABG on CPB ( n=60 ) or off-pump coronary artery bypass ( OPCAB ) ( n=60 ) surgery . On each film 17 different major potential postoperative abnormalities were analyzed . RESULTS Clinical findings were similar in the two groups . Patients undergoing OPCAB surgery  had decreased blood loss , decreased red cell and platelet transfusion , significantly lower intubation time and required less postoperative inotropic support compared with patients undergoing CPB . The CPB group had a significantly higher incidence of left b and atelectasis than the OPCAB group ( 37.6 % vs 17.5 % , p=0.01 ) at 6 days postoperatively . There was no other statistically significant difference in any of the 16 remaining major chest radiograph findings between the two groups . CONCLUSION Although OPCAB surgery is associated with improved clinical outcome compared with conventional CABG surgery , the analysis of postoperative chest radiographs demonstrated only a minor benefit as shown by a reduced degree of left b and atelectasis in the OPCAB group
Evidence derived from small trials suggests that preoperative physical therapy reduces postoperative pulmonary complications ( atelectasis and pneumonia ) and length of hospital stay in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery .
There is a lack of evidence that preoperative physical therapy reduces postoperative pneumothorax , prolonged mechanical ventilation or all-cause deaths
BACKGROUND After cardiac surgery , physical therapy is a routine procedure delivered with the aim of preventing postoperative pulmonary complications .
OBJECTIVES To determine if preoperative physical therapy with an exercise component can prevent postoperative pulmonary complications in cardiac surgery patients , and to evaluate which type of patient benefits and which type of physical therapy is most effective .