Pediatric cardiac surgery: what to expect from physiotherapeutic intervention?

ABSTRACT

This study aims to gather and present scientific evidence on the role of a physiotherapist in the pre, peri and postoperative of pediatric cardiac surgery. This professional is able to prevent, minimize or reverse possible respiratory dysfunction and motor sequelae resulting from these interventions. Studies discuss the involvement of respiratory system, specifically the clearance of bronchial secretions and ventilatory adequacy, as a result of surgical procedure. Scientific evidences suggest the effectiveness of physiotherapy in reducing indices of pneumonia, atelectasis, hospitalization, sequelae deleterious and length of bed restriction, beyond clinical improvement. These data confirm positive contribution of physiotherapeutic intervention in these surgeries.