AIRWAY POSITIVE PRESSURE VS. EXERCISES WITH INSPIRATORY LOADING FOCUSED ON PULMONARY AND RESPIRATORY MUSCULAR FUNCTIONS IN THE POSTOPERATIVE PERIOD OF BARIATRIC SURGERY.

Background: Bariatric surgery can trigger postoperative pulmonary complications due to factors inherent to the procedure, mainly due to diaphragmatic dysfunction.

Aim: To evaluate and compare the effects of two levels of positive pressure and exercises with inspiratory load on lung function, inspiratory muscle strength and respiratory muscle resistance, and the prevalence of atelectasis after gastroplasty.

Methods: Clinical, randomized and blind trial, with subjects submitted to bariatric surgery, allocated to two groups: positive pressure group, who received positive pressure at two levels during one hour and conventional respiratory physiotherapy and inspiratory load group, who performed exercises with load linear inspiratory pressure, six sets of 15 repetitions, in addition to conventional respiratory physiotherapy, both of which were applied twice in the immediate postoperative period and three times a day on the first postoperative day.