ISSN : 1301-5680
e-ISSN : 2149-8156
Turkish Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery     
Is respiratory physiotherapy effective on pulmonary complications after lobectomy for lung cancer?
Hüseyin Ulaş Çınar1, Hale Kefeli Çelik2, Burçin Çelik3, Cengizhan Doğan4
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medicana International Hospital, Samsun, Turkey
2Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Samsun, Turkey
3Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ondokuz Mayıs University Medical Faculty, Samsun, Turkey
4Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Medicana International Hospital, Samsun, Turkey
DOI : 10.5606/tgkdc.dergisi.2020.19693
Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a postoperative respiratory physiotherapy program on pulmonary complications, length of hospital stay, and hospital cost after lobectomy for lung cancer.

Methods: A total of 90 patients (75 males, 15 females; mean age 63.1±10.4 years; range, 30 to 82 years) who underwent elective lobectomy through thoracotomy due to lung cancer between June 2014 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups as Group S who received standard postoperative care (n=50) and Group P who received postoperative respiratory physiotherapy in addition to standard care (n=40). Both groups were compared in terms of postoperative pulmonary complications, 30-day mortality, length of hospital stay, and hospital cost.

Results: The preoperative and surgical characteristics of the groups were similar. Group P had a lower incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (10% vs. 38%, respectively; p=0.002) than Group S. The median length of stay in the hospital was six (range, 4 to 12) days in Group P and seven (range, 4 to 40) days in Group S (p=0.001). The drug cost (639.70 vs. 1,211.46 Turkish Liras, respectively; p=0.001) and the total hospital cost (2,031.10 vs. 3,778.68 Turkish Liras, respectively; p=0.001) of the patients in Group P were significantly lower. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that respiratory physiotherapy had a protective effect on the development of postoperative pulmonary complications (odds ratio =0.063, 95% confidence interval: 0.010-0.401, p=0.003).

Conclusion: An intensive physiotherapy program focusing on respiratory exercises is a cost-effective practice which reduces the risk of development of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer.

Keywords : Complication, cost, lobectomy, lung cancer, respiratory physiotherapy
Viewed : 4524
Downloaded : 781