The effect of planned breathing exercises on oxygenation in patients after coronary artery bypass surgery

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of planned breathing exercises on oxygenation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Pulmonary complications and impaired oxygenation are common after coronary artery bypass graft surgery and cause increased hospitalization and health care costs. Breathing exercises are applied commonly in managing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients in many hospitals، but scientific evidence is not sufficient about the efficacy of this treatment.

In a clinical trial، 100 patients undergoing CABG were randomly allocated to planned breathing exercises (n=50) and control group (n=50). The patients in experimental group received breathing exercises protocol (deep breathing، incentive spirometry and directed cough maneuvers) and the patients in control group received daily routine hospital physiotherapy. Other therapies were similar in two groups. Arterial blood gases were compared between groups before operation and the first، second and third postoperative day. The data were analyzed by SPSS Version 17 software using chi square، T test and analysis of variance.

The study findings showed no statistically significant difference between groups in terms of demographic data، history of chronic diseases، Pao2 and Sao2 before surgery and on the first and second day after surgery. On the third postoperative day، the mean score of SaO2 (95، SD=2. 47 vs. 93. 24، SD=16. 3، p=0. 003) and PaO2 (83. 19، SD=16. 23 vs. 72. 66، SD=13. 20، P≤0. 001) were higher in the experimental group.

The patients receiving planned breathing exercises including deep-breathing exercises، incentive spirometry and directed cough maneuvers have better oxygenation after coronary artery bypass surgery.