Rationale and clinical benefits of an intensive long-term pulmonary rehabilitation program after oesophagectomy: preliminary report

Filippo Lococo; Alfredo Cesario; Silvia Sterzi; Giovanni Magrone; Valentina Dall’Armi; Francesca Mattei; Francesco Varone; Venanzio Porziella; Stefano Margaritora; Pierluigi Granone

doi:10.4081/mrm.2012.608

Rationale and clinical benefits of an intensive long-term pulmonary rehabilitation program after oesophagectomy: preliminary report

Authors

Filippo Lococo Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome
Alfredo Cesario Unit of Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome
Silvia Sterzi Department of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico, Rome
Giovanni Magrone Department of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico, Rome
Valentina Dall’Armi Unit of Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome
Francesca Mattei Unit of Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome
Francesco Varone Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome
Venanzio Porziella Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome
Stefano Margaritora Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome
Pierluigi Granone Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/mrm.2012.608

Keywords:

Chest physical therapy, Oesophagectomy, Rehabilitation, Surgery

Abstract

Patients who undergo oesophagectomy for oesophagealcancer (OC) usually have an overall poor prognosis and, still more preoccupying, an unsatisfactory quality of life (QoL). Considering that, as already noted, post-operative pulmonary function has a strong correlation with the long-term outcome and QoL after surgery, we have assumed and speculated on the clinical benefits of an intensive long-term pulmonary post-operative rehabilitation program in this particular subset of patients. Herein, we report the preliminary results of a comparative retrospective analysis in a series of 58 patients who underwent radical oesophagectomy and post-operative chest physical therapy (CPT) under two different protocols, from October 2006 to January 2011. Finally, we discuss on the time-trend analysis of pulmonary function and the potential role of post-operative pulmonary rehabilitation.