Air-mattress motion therapy for respiratory failure after cardiothoracic surgery

Abstract

Purpose: The standard management of respiratory failure after cardiothoracic surgery involves prolonged mechanical ventilation, drug support, and chest physiotherapy. We report the effectiveness of a novel type of respiratory physiotherapy, the air mattress V-CUE unit, which utilizes a computerized automatic combination of three movements: rotation, percussion, and vibration.

Methods: Among 189 patients who underwent various cardiothoracic operations, 6 were eligible for V-CUE application, after the development of respiratory failure caused by early adult respiratory distress syndrome, massive atelectasis, or pulmonary infection.

Results: The V-CUE unit was used to treat six postsurgical patients, aged 58-73 years (mean, 65.8 years); four who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting, one who had undergone mitral valve replacement, and one who had undergone a bilobectomy. The mean duration of supportive V-CUE was 3.9 days (range 2-6 days), and the mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 2.9 days. There was no need for reintubation or tracheotomy, and all six patients recovered uneventfully.

Conclusion: Our preliminary results indicate that V-CUE dynamic air therapy is effective for managing postoperative respiratory failure, adjuvant to or complementary to standard therapy.