[The effect of early chest physiotherapy on blood gas and circulatory function in old patients after thoracotomy].

In this study, 15 old patients undergoing thoracotomy were selected for observing the influence of effective chest physiotherapy started early in postoperation on blood gas and circulatory function. Following ultrasonic aerosol inholation for 20 minutes, turning the body, and chest percussion in head-up were started at 6th hour after operation. The result showed that PaO2, SaO2 were significantly increased and PaCO2 were decreased at 30 minutes after treatment comparied with it before treatment. In other side, although the hemodynamics could maintain stabilization, cardiac arrhythmias were occured during treatment in three cases, whose ECG were abnormal in preopration. It concluded that effectively chest physiotherapy, started early in postoperation, could prevent postoperative hypoxemia in old thoracotomy patients, But, ECG monitoring is necessary during treatment in patients whose ECG was abnormal before operation.