The impact of inpatient physiotherapy on parameters of acid-base equilibrium after corrective surgery of congential heart defects in children age 0-2

Piotr Dominiak

Piotr Dominiak – The impact of inpatient physiotherapy on parameters of acid-base equilibrium after corrective surgery of congential heart defects in children age 0-2. Fizjoterapia Polska 2001; 1(4); 361-365

Abstract
Background. Congenital heart defects constitutes the most significant problem in pediatric cardiology, occupying second place among the causes of infant death in Poland. One can observe a constant lowering of the indicated age for surgery in order to prevent secondary structural changes in and around the heart, and negative psychological effects on parents and children. The goal of this article is to evaluate the effectiveness of the author’s own method of physiotherapy during inpatient care of children aged 0-2 years following total surgical correction of the most commonly occurring congenital heart defects. Material and methods. Ina group of 32 patients recovering from total corrections of ASD II, VSD, PDA and CoA, age 0-2 years, 384 tests were performed on arterialized capillary blood during the first the days after surgery. The tests were performed before, immediately after, and 30 minutes after physiotherapy, and then results were compared. The patients were divided into two sub-groups: subgroup I consisted of 20 patients after total correction of ASD II and VSD, in whom 270 tests were performed, while subgroup II included 12 patients after total correction of PDA and CoA, in whom 114 tests were performed. Results. The results indicated that a postero-lateral thoracotomy produces a leftward shift in acid-base equilibrium; under the influence of physiotherapy, however, the direction of change is identical in both sub-groups. Extracorporeal circulation did not exchange in the lungs (a statistically significant increase in pO2 and SO2 30 minutes after physiotherapy). Conclusion. The physiotherapy program here applied, including elements of he Vojta method, can be used beginning in the first days after surgery.

Key words:
congenital heart defects, surgical treatment, physiotherapy, Acid-Base Equilibrium

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