Abstract Background: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation seems to be a promising option to intensify the rehabilitation and improve the exercise capacity of patients in the immediate postoperative period of cardiac surgery. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the hemodynamic (heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean blood pressure) and respiratory (respiratory rate and oxygen saturation) responses to neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the immediate postoperative period in patients submitted to cardiac surgery and to verify its feasibility and safety. Methods: This is a pilot randomized controlled trial, wherein critical patients in the immediate postoperative period of cardiac surgery were randomly assigned to a control group, using sham neuromuscular electrical stimulation, or an experimental group, submitted to neuromuscular electrical stimulation sessions (FES), for 60 min, with a 50-Hz frequency, 200-µs pulse duration, time on: 3 s, and time off: 9 s. Data distribution was evaluated by the Shapiro-Wilk test. The analysis of variance was used and a p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Thirty patients were included in the study. The neuromuscular electrical stimulation was applied within the first 23.13 ± 5.24 h after cardiac surgery, and no changes were found regarding the hemodynamic and respiratory variables between the patients who underwent neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and those in the control group. Conclusions: In the present study, neuromuscular electrical stimulation did not promote changes in hemodynamic and respiratory responses of patients in the immediate postoperative period of cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: During cardiac surgery, several factors contribute to the development of postoperative pulmonary complications. Non-invasive ventilation is a promising therapeutic tool for improving the functionality of this type of patient. The aim of this study is to evaluate the functional capacity and length of stay of patients in a nosocomial intensive care unit who underwent prophylactic non-invasive ventilation after heart valve replacement. METHOD: The study was a controlled clinical trial, comprising 50 individuals of both sexes who were allocated by randomization into two groups with 25 patients in each group: the control group and experimental group. After surgery, the patients were transferred to the intensive care unit and then participated in standard physical therapy, which was provided to the experimental group after 3 applications of non-invasive ventilation within the first 26 hours after extubation. For non-invasive ventilation, the positive pressure was 10 cm H2O, with a duration of 1 hour. The evaluation was performed on the 7th postoperative day/discharge and included a 6-minute walk test. The intensive care unit and hospitalization times were monitored in both groups. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (REBeC): RBR number 8bxdd3. RESULTS: Analysis of the 6-minute walk test showed that the control group walked an average distance of 264.34±76 meters and the experimental group walked an average distance of 334.07±71 meters (p=0.002). The intensive care unit and hospitalization times did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSION: Non-invasive ventilation as a therapeutic resource was effective toward improving functionality; however, non-invasive ventilation did not influence the intensive care unit or hospitalization times of the studied cardiac patients.

Introdução: A força muscular periférica tem sido pouco explorada na literatura atual no contexto da reabilitação cardiovascular. Objetivo: Avaliar a força muscular periférica de pacientes submetidos à cirurgia cardíaca eletiva. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo observacional e longitudinal. A força muscular periférica foi mensurada por meio de dinamometria isométrica de MMII (extensores e flexores de joelho) em três momentos distintos: pré-operatório (M1), dia da alta da unidade de terapia intensiva (M2) e dia da alta hospitalar (M3). Os participantes receberam atendimento fisioterapêutico pré e pós-operatório durante os dias do internamento, nos períodos matutino e vespertino. Resultados: Foram avaliados 22 pacientes. Os valores de força muscular periférica de extensores de joelho pré-operatórios encontrados foram cerca de 50% menores do que os preditos para a população saudável. Ao comparar a força muscular prévia (M1), com os demais momentos de avaliação, encontrou-se em M2 queda de 29% para o movimento de extensão do joelho e 25% para o movimento de flexão de joelho e queda de 10% para o movimento de extensão do joelho e 13% para o movimento de flexão de joelho em M3 ao comparar com M1. Conclusão: Os valores de força muscular periférica prévia dos pacientes do estudo foram menores do que o predito para a população saudável com a mesma faixa etária. Após o evento cirúrgico, essa redução é ainda mais notável, sendo reestabelecida até o momento da alta hospitalar a valores próximos ao basal.

Introduction: Peripheral muscle strength has been little explored in the literature in the context of cardiac rehabilitation. Objective: To evaluate the peripheral muscle strength of patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Methods: This was a longitudinal observational study. The peripheral muscle strength was measured using isometric dynamometry lower limb (knee extensors and flexors) at three different times: preoperatively (M1), the day of discharge (M2) and hospital discharge (M3). Participants received physiotherapy pre and postoperatively during the days of hospitalization during the morning and afternoon. Results: Twenty-two patients were evaluated. The values of peripheral muscle strength of knee extensors preoperative found were about 50% lower than those predicted for the healthy population. When comparing muscle strength prior (M1), with the remaining evaluation, found himself in a fall of 29% for the movement of knee extension and 25% for knee flexion in M2 and a decrease of 10% movement for knee extension and 13% for knee flexion in M3 when comparing with M1. Conclusion: The values of peripheral muscle strength prior of the study patients were lower than predicted for the healthy population of the same age. After the surgical event this reduction is even more remarkable, being reestablished until the time of discharge, to values close to baseline.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of physiotherapeutic respiratory maneuvers on cerebral and cardiovascular hemodynamics and blood gas variables. METHOD: A descriptive, longitudinal, prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial that included 20 critical patients with severe craniocerebral trauma who were receiving mechanical ventilation and who were admitted to the intensive care unit. Each patient was subjected to the physiotherapeutic maneuvers of vibrocompression and increased manual expiratory flow (5 minutes on each hemithorax), along with subsequent airway suctioning with prior instillation of saline solution, hyperinflation and hyperoxygenation. Variables related to cardiovascular and cerebral hemodynamics and blood gas variables were recorded after each vibrocompression, increased manual expiratory flow and airway suctioning maneuver and 10 minutes after the end of airway suctioning. RESULTS: The hemodynamic and blood gas variables were maintained during vibrocompression and increased manual expiratory flow maneuvers; however, there were increases in mean arterial pressure, intracranial pressure, heart rate, pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary capillary pressure during airway suctioning. All of the values returned to baseline 10 minutes after the end of airway suctioning. CONCLUSION: Respiratory physiotherapy can be safely performed on patients with severe craniocerebral trauma. Additional caution must be taken when performing airway suctioning because this technique alters cerebral and cardiovascular hemodynamics, even in sedated and paralyzed patients.

OBJETIVO: Observar a repercussão das técnicas de fisioterapia respiratória na pressão arterial média (PAM), pressão intracraniana (PIC), pressão de perfusão cerebral (PPC), pressão venosa jugular de oxigênio (PjO2) e saturação venosa jugular de oxigênio (SjO2). MÉTODO: Foram incluídos no estudo 20 pacientes com traumatismo cranioencefálico. O protocolo consistiu na aplicação das manobras fisioterapêuticas de vibrocompressão (VBC), aumento de fluxo expiratório (AFE) e aspiração (ASP). RESULTADOS: Os resultados mostraram a manutenção das variáveis da hemodinâmica cerebral durante as manobras de VBC e AFE. Porém, em relação à ASP, houve uma elevação da PAM e PIC, com manutenção da PPC, PjO2 e SjO2 e retorno aos valores basais da PAM e PIC dez minutos após o final da aspiração. CONCLUSÃO: As manobras de fisioterapia respiratória (VBC, AFE) não promovem alterações sobre a hemodinâmica cerebral, ao contrário da ASP traqueal, em pacientes com traumatismo cranioencefálico grave, em ventilação mecânica, sedados e curarizados.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the repercussion of respiratory physiotherapy techniques on the mean arterial pressure (MBP), intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), jugular venous oxygen pressure (PjvO2) and jugular venous oxygen saturation (SjvO2). METHOD: The sample consisted of 20 patients with head trauma. The protocol consisted of physiotherapy techniques application of vibrocompression (VBC), expiratory flow increase (EFI) and suction. RESULTS: The results show the maintenance on variables of cerebral hemodynamics during the techniques of VBC and EFI. However, in relation to suction, there was an increase of MBP, ICP, with maintenance of CPP, PjvO2 and SjvO2 and return to baseline of MBP and ICP 10 minutes after the end of suction. CONCLUSION: The respiratory physiotherapy techniques (VBC, EFI) do not promote cerebral hemodynamic repercussion, unlike suction, in severe head injury patients, mechanically ventilated, sedated and paralyzed.