The aim of the study was to evaluate the immediate cardiorespiratory effects of ABDOWN in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery.The aim of the study was to evaluate the immediate cardiorespiratory effects of ABDOWN in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery.
Twenty-eight patients undergoing pancreatic, or gastric surgery were included in this study. The patients were in average 69 years old, 10 were women and they had an average BMI of 19.9 kg/m2.
At the second postoperative day the patients were positioned in ABDOWN position during >5 minutes. Before and after the intervention they performed a spirometry (Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume during one second (FEV1) and Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF)) in a standardized manner, and they assessed their respiratory function on a scale from 0 to 10 (best). Before, during and after the intervention oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, heart rate and blood pressure was registered. In addition, adverse events were recorded.
During ABDOWN, FVC, FEV1 and PEF increased slightly compared to before the intervention, but the differences were not significant. Oxygen saturation did significantly increase (94 to 97%, p0.001), and respiratory rate decreased (19.0 to 15.4 breaths/min, p0.001) during the intervention. Oxygen saturation was also significantly higher after the intervention compared to before (96%, p0.05). The patients assessed their respiratory function significantly improved after the intervention (5.9 vs. 7.3, p=0.002).
No major adverse events were registered.
In this first trial where the immediate effects of ABDOWN were evaluated it was found that positioning abdomen down after major abdominal surgery significantly increased oxygen saturation and decreased respiratory rate. In addition, patients assessed their respiratory function significantly improved.
ABDOWN may be used in clinical practice in patients after major abdominal surgery to facilitate recovery postoperatively.
Prone position
Postoperative
