CONCLUSION There was no evidence to support the use of incentive spirometry in the management of surgical patients .
OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review to evaluate the evidence of the use of incentive spirometry ( IS ) for the prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications and for the recovery of pulmonary function in patients undergoing abdominal , cardiac and thoracic surgeries .
Incentive spirometry with expiratory positive airway pressure reduces pulmonary complications, improves pulmonary function and 6-minute walk distance in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
BACKGROUND The use of the incentive spirometry ( IS ) with expiratory positive airway pressure ( EPAP ) to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications ( PPC ) after coronary artery bypass graft ( CABG ) is not well established . This study sought to determine the effects of IS+EPAP after CABG . METHODS Thirty-four patients undergoing CABG were r and omly assigned to a control group or IS+EPAP group . Maximal respiratory pressures , pulmonary function test , 6-minute walk test and chest x-ray were performed at baseline as well as 1 week and 1 month after CABG . RESULTS Maximal inspiratory pressure was significantly higher in the IS+EPAP group compared to controls at both 1 week and 1 month ( P<.001 ) . Maximal expiratory pressure was significantly higher at 1 month compared to 1 week in IS+EPAP group ( P<.01 ) . At 1 month , forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second was significantly higher in IS+EPAP compared to controls ( P<.05 ) . Inspiratory capacity was higher at 1 month in IS+EPAP group compared to controls ( P<.05 ) . The distance walked in 6-minute walk test was higher at 1 month in IS+EPAP group ( P<.001 ) compared to controls . Lastly , radiological injury score at 1 week was lower in IS+EPAP compared to controls ( P<.004 ) . CONCLUSIONS In patients undergoing CABG , IS+EPAP results in improved pulmonary function and 6-minute walk distance as well as a reduction in PPC
CONCLUSION There was no evidence to support the use of incentive spirometry in the management of surgical patients .
OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review to evaluate the evidence of the use of incentive spirometry ( IS ) for the prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications and for the recovery of pulmonary function in patients undergoing abdominal , cardiac and thoracic surgeries .