The benefit of a preoperative respiratory protocol and musculoskeletal exercise in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Introduction: Loss of physical activity and pulmonary dysfunction with its associated complications represent two of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality following cardiac surgery.

Aim: To evaluate whether a physiotherapy program based on respiratory training with or without musculoskeletal mobilization, started preoperatively, may provide a significant improvement in pulmonary and musculoskeletal recovery postoperatively in a sufficiently large sample of patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery.

Material And Methods: One-hundred and two patients with similar baseline and preoperative characteristics were assigned to a preoperative respiratory physiotherapy protocol (group R, = 34), a preoperative respiratory and motor physiotherapy protocol (group R + M, = 34), or no preoperative specific physiotherapy protocol but only a simplified perioperative standard physiotherapy protocol (control group, C, = 34).