The Effect of Combination of Flutter and Breathing Exercise on Post Operative Pulmonary Complications in Off Pump CABG Patients: Randomized Control Trial

Background: There is high incidence of post-operative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing CABG. Flutter device proved to lower the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate effectiveness of flutter device and breathing exercises on prevention of postoperative complications in Off pump CABG patients. Methodology: 30 patients underwent Off pump CABG for the first time were included in the study and they were allocated into the experimental and control group. The patients in experimental group received flutter device twice a day for 10 minutes along with breathing exercises which included diaphragmatic and segmental breathing for 10 minutes, 3 sets per day for 3 days after the CABG and patients in controlled group received the breathing exercises. Outcome measures were PFT (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEF), Vitals (HR, RR, BP, SPO2) and Chest X-ray, which was assessed preoperatively and 3 days after postoperative treatment. Result: When within the group comparison was done both the group showed significant improvement in FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and vitals but between the group comparison showed no significant difference in FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEF and vitals values. The post-operative Chest X-ray revealed that 13.3% patients had prevention of post-operative complications. Conclusion: The study concluded that the patients who underwent physiotherapy treatment showed 13.33% of prevention of post-operative pulmonary complications in coronary artery bypass graft patients.