title: [The role of respiratory physiotherapy in the lung function of obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. A review].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity, considered a new worldwide epidemic, is characterised by excess adipose tissue and contributes to a series of chronic diseases and increased mortality. Obesity associated to surgical procedure in these patients makes respiratory physiotherapy a must to recover lung function and prevent postoperative pulmonary complications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of respiratory physiotherapy on the lung function of obese patients undergoing weight loss surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a literature review October 2008-June 2009 of data which had been published over the last thirty years and which was available on the Medline, Pubmed ans Scielo databases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre- and postoperative respiratory physiotherapy is vital for patients undergoing weight loss surgery irrespective of technique used, as it can prevent pulmonary complications inherent in the surgical procedure and aid lung function recovery.
authors.affiliation: Pós -Graduando em Fisioterapia Cardiorrespiratória da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. tenorio@gmail.com
authors.forename: Luís Henrique Sarmento
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Tenório
authors.forename: Anna Myrna Jaguaribe
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Maria do Socorro
authors.initials: Mdo S
authors.lastname: Brasileiro-Santos
mesh_terms: D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012138:Respiratory Therapy