Effect of Incentive Spirometry on Oxygenation in Patients after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Arterial hypoxemia is one of the main pulmonary complications after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Therefore, several proceedings have been recommended to reduce the complications, and to improve arterial hypoxemia as well as arterial blood gas parameters such as incentive spirometry. This study intended to investigate the effect of incentive spirometry on patients´ oxygenation.

In this randomized clinical trial, a sample size of 70 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft was chosen. Incentive spirometry was applied in the experimental group, whereas no special intervention was taken in the control group. Arterial blood gas samples were measured in three stages: Preoperation, the first and second day after surgery. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16 using descriptive and inferential statistics.

In terms of gender, 70% were males and 30% were females whose mean age was 61±9.7. Moreover, the duration of mechanical ventilation was 6.4±1.67. The study results indicated that no significant difference was observed between experimental and control groups in terms of parameters of arterial blood gases in preoperation, first and second postoperative days (P> 0.05).

Utilizing incentive spirometry did not have any effects on improving oxygenation in patients in the first and second days after surgery, compared with routine hospital treatment.