Publications by authors named "Kristine Nicol"
Question: Does a postoperative physiotherapy exercise program incorporating shoulder exercises improve shoulder function, pain, range of motion, muscle strength, and health-related quality of life in patients undergoing elective pulmonary resection via open thoracotomy?
Design: Randomised trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding, and intention-to-treat analysis.
Participants: 76 patients who underwent pulmonary resection via open thoracotomy.
Intervention: All participants received standard medical and nursing care involving a clinical pathway.
Objective: This study investigates whether targeted postoperative respiratory physiotherapy decreased the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications and length of stay for patients undergoing elective pulmonary resection via open thoracotomy.
Methods: Seventy-six patients participated in a prospective, single-blind, parallel-group, randomised trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis. Treatment group participants received daily respiratory physiotherapy interventions until discharge.
Background: Postoperative pulmonary and shoulder complications are important causes of postoperative morbidity following thoracotomy. While physiotherapy aims to prevent or minimise these complications, currently there are no randomised controlled trials to support or refute effectiveness of physiotherapy in this setting.
Methods/design: This single blind randomised controlled trial aims to recruit 184 patients following lung resection via open thoracotomy.