To explore the effects of full laparoscopic surgery combined with enhanced recovery after surgery concept of respiratory function exercise on postoperative pulmonary complications, postoperative pain, time to get out of bed, chest drainage, extubation time and hospitalization for patients with esophageal cancer.

A total of 160 patients who underwent esophageal cancer surgery at the Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University from June 2018 to June 2020 were randomly divided into 4 groups, 40 patients in each group. Patients in group A underwent full laparoscopic esophageal cancer surgery, preoperative ERAS concept education and respiratory function exercise; group B adopted traditional open surgery, preoperative ERAS concept education and respiratory function exercise; group C adopted full laparoscopic esophageal cancer surgery, carry out routine admissions and nursing guidance, regular breathing exercises, without preoperative ERAS concept education; group D uses traditional open surgery, routine admissions and nursing guidance, regular respiratory function exercises, without preoperative ERAS concept education. The number of postoperative pulmonary complications, postoperative pain, time to get out of bed, extubation time and hospital stay were recorded for the four groups.

Compared with group B and group C, the incidence of pulmonary complications in group A was significantly reduced, and the time to get out of bed, time to extubation and hospital stay in group A were significantly shortened; postoperative pain was significantly decreased in group A than that in group B, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with group D, the incidence of pulmonary complications, time to get out of bed, time to extubation and length of hospital stay in group B were significantly reduced, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with group D, the incidence of postoperative pain and pulmonary complications were reduced in group C, the time to get out of bed, the time to extubation and the length of hospital stay were shortened, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).

For patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery, the concept of ERAS, guided breathing exercises combined with full laparoscopic surgery can effectively reduce the incidence of pulmonary complications and postoperative pain, and shorten the time to get out of bed, time to extubation and hospital stay.