Preoperative physiotherapy for the prevention of respiratory complications after upper abdominal surgery: pragmatic, double blinded, multicentre randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess the efficacy of a single preoperative physiotherapy session to reduce postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after upper abdominal surgery.

Design

Prospective, pragmatic, multicentre, patient and assessor blinded, parallel group, randomised placebo controlled superiority trial.

Setting

Multidisciplinary preadmission clinics at three tertiary public hospitals in Australia and New Zealand.

Participants

441 adults aged 18 years or older who were within six weeks of elective major open upper abdominal surgery were randomly assigned through concealed allocation to receive either an information booklet (n=219; control) or preoperative physiotherapy (n=222; intervention) and followed for 12 months. 432 completed the trial.

Interventions

SUBMITTER: Boden I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5782401 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature