Skip to main content
 

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Editor's Commentary
    • Coming Next Month
    • Archives
    • Top 10 Papers in 2020
  • Authors
    • Author Guidelines
    • Submit a Manuscript
  • Reviewers
    • Reviewer Information
    • Create Reviewer Account
    • Appreciation of Reviewers
  • CRCE
    • Through the Journal
    • JournalCasts
    • AARC University
    • PowerPoint Template
  • Open Forum
    • Call for Abstracts 2021
    • 2020 Abstracts
    • Previous Open Forums
  • Podcast
    • English
    • Español
    • Portugûes
    • 国语

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
American Association for Respiratory Care
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
American Association for Respiratory Care

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Editor's Commentary
    • Coming Next Month
    • Archives
    • Top 10 Papers in 2020
  • Authors
    • Author Guidelines
    • Submit a Manuscript
  • Reviewers
    • Reviewer Information
    • Create Reviewer Account
    • Appreciation of Reviewers
  • CRCE
    • Through the Journal
    • JournalCasts
    • AARC University
    • PowerPoint Template
  • Open Forum
    • Call for Abstracts 2021
    • 2020 Abstracts
    • Previous Open Forums
  • Podcast
    • English
    • Español
    • Portugûes
    • 国语
  • Follow aarc on Twitter
  • Visit aarc on Facebook
Research ArticleOriginal Contributions

High-Frequency Chest-Wall Compression During the 48 Hours Following Thoracic Surgery

James S Allan, Julie M Garrity and Dean M Donahue
Respiratory Care March 2009, 54 (3) 340-343;
James S Allan
Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Julie M Garrity
Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Dean M Donahue
Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pneumonia continues to be a leading cause of mortality and morbidity after thoracic surgery. High-frequency chest-wall compression (HFCWC) is an established therapeutic adjunct for patients with chronic pulmonary disorders that impair bronchopulmonary secretion clearance. We studied the feasibility of applying HFCWC following thoracic surgery.

METHODS: Twenty-five consecutive adult patients who underwent a variety of thoracic operations received at least one HFCWC treatment in the first 2 postoperative days, along with routine postoperative care. HFCWC was applied at 12 Hz, for 10 min. Routine hemodynamic and pulse oximetry data were collected before, during, and after HFCWC. We also collected qualitative data on patient tolerance and preference for HFCWC versus percussive chest physiotherapy.

RESULTS: No major adverse events were encountered. Hemodynamic and pulse oximetry values remained stable before, during, and after HFCWC. Eighty-four percent of the subjects reported little or no discomfort during therapy, and the subjects who expressed a preference preferred HFCWC to conventional chest physiotherapy by more than two to one.

CONCLUSIONS: HFCWC is a safe, well-tolerated adjunct after thoracic surgery. The observation of hemodynamic stability is especially important, considering that the patients were studied in the early postoperative period, during epidural analgesia.

  • postoperative pneumonia
  • thoracic surgery
  • high frequency chest wall compression
  • HFCWC

Footnotes

  • Correspondence: James S Allan MD FAARC, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Blake 1570, Boston MA 02114.
  • Copyright © 2009 by Daedalus Enterprises Inc.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Respiratory Care: 54 (3)
Respiratory Care
Vol. 54, Issue 3
1 Mar 2009
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Cover (PDF)
  • Index by author
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Association for Respiratory Care.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
High-Frequency Chest-Wall Compression During the 48 Hours Following Thoracic Surgery
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Association for Respiratory Care
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Association for Respiratory Care web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
High-Frequency Chest-Wall Compression During the 48 Hours Following Thoracic Surgery
James S Allan, Julie M Garrity, Dean M Donahue
Respiratory Care Mar 2009, 54 (3) 340-343;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

Share
High-Frequency Chest-Wall Compression During the 48 Hours Following Thoracic Surgery
James S Allan, Julie M Garrity, Dean M Donahue
Respiratory Care Mar 2009, 54 (3) 340-343;
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

Cited By...

Keywords

  • postoperative pneumonia
  • thoracic surgery
  • high frequency chest wall compression
  • HFCWC

Info For

  • Subscribers
  • Institutions
  • Advertisers

About Us

  • About Us
  • Editorial Board
  • Reprints/Permissions

AARC

  • Membership
  • Meetings
  • Clinical Practice Guidelines

More

  • Contact Us
  • RSS
American Association for Respiratory Care

Print ISSN: 0020-1324        Online ISSN: 1943-3654

© Daedalus Enterprises, Inc.

Powered by HighWire