Abstract:

Objective

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether preoperative respiratory function exercise can reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection in esophageal cancer and Promote rapid recovery of patients .

Methods

Patients with esophageal cancer were randomly assigned to the respiratory function exercise group and the routine care before surgery ,with 60 in each group .The respiratory exercise group exercised with a breathing exerciser and trained abdominal breathing and effective cough 3 times every day for one week . Routine care group performed normal daytime care without respiratory function exercise . The following data in both groups were collected and compared including patients pH value in airway before and after surgery ,respiration index ,oxygenation index ,and TNF-α . The incidences of pulmonary infection were also measured by the simplified pulmonary infection rating scale .

Results

In the respiratory exercise group ,patients postoperative airway pH and oxygenation index were higher than that of routine care group , while the respiration index and TNF-α were lower( P＜0 .05) .Of the 60 patients in the preoperative respiratory function exercise group , 18 had postoperative pulmonary infection , and 26 of the 60 patients in the routine care group had pulmonary infection .There was a statistically significant difference in postoperative outcome between the two group( P＜0 .05) .

Conclusions

Preoperative respiratory function exercise can effectively reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection .

Key words: Respiratory function training, Esophageal cancer, Pulmonary infection