Incentive spirometry performance. A reliable indicator of pulmonary function in the early postoperative period after lobectomy?
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study was to validate the incentive spirometry (IS) as a simple mean to follow pulmonary function at the bedside after lung surgery.


METHODS
We studied prospectively 19 patients (16 men, 3 women; mean +/- SE age, 60 +/- 2.8 years) undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer. All the patients had an obstructive pattern with FEV1/FVC below 75%. Lung volumes, including functional residual capacity (FRC) and residual volume (RV), measured using spirometry and the helium dilution technique, and IS were measured preoperatively and postoperatively at days 1, 2, 3, and 8, and at 2 months.


RESULTS
Our results showed that in the postoperative period after lung resection, IS performance was well correlated (R) during the first 8 postoperative days with vital capacity (VC) (R between 0.667 and 0.870) mainly due to the excellent correlation with the inspiratory reserve volume (IRV, R between 0.680 and 0.895) but was poorly correlated with expiratory reserve volume (R below 0.340), RV (R below 0.180), and FRC (R below 0.470).


CONCLUSIONS
IS can be used as a simple mean to follow lung function, especially VC and IRV, in the postoperative period in spontaneously breathing patients. IS is noninvasive and can be performed repeatedly at the bedside in the intensive care setting.
Bastin
R
R
Intensive Care Department, Erasme University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
Moraine
J J
JJ
Bardocsky
G
G
Kahn
R J
RJ
Mélot
C
C
D005105:Expiratory Reserve Volume; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D005652:Functional Residual Capacity; D006801:Humans; D007321:Inspiratory Reserve Volume; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012115:Residual Volume; D013147:Spirometry; D014797:Vital Capacity