Perioperative variables of ventilatory function and physical capacity in heart transplant patients.
BACKGROUND
Heart transplantation is currently the only widely accepted surgical alternative to treat patients with severe heart failure (HF) drug therapy cannot maintain optimal quality of life appropriate.


OBJECTIVE
To describe and to compare the values between pre-and postoperative physical capacity and pulmonary patients who underwent heart transplantation.


METHODS
A retrospective cohort composed of patients undergoing heart transplantation between January 2001 to March 2005 in IC-FUC/RS.


RESULTS
Were included in the 21 individuals. We observed decreased levels of volume and lung capacity (FEV1 and FVC) in the first days after surgery compared to preoperatively (P <0.001) and recovery of these values in the 14th postoperative day (P <0.001). The values of muscle strength showed similar trends in reducing post-operative period compared to preoperative (P <0.001) and recovered on the 14th postoperative day (P <0.001). A useful functional capacity, measured by testing 6-minute walk test (T6') showed improvement in the 14th postoperative day in relation to pre-operatively (P <0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in ventilatory function of subjects undergoing cardiac transplantation are predictable, but these recover respiratory muscle strength and lung capacity within two weeks, and improve functional capacity useful in relation to pre-operative, the transplantation, when indicated, associated with good functional rehabilitation is very god treatment strategy.
Coronel
Christian Correa
CC
Fisioterapia Cardiologia Pós-Graduação em Fisioterapia Cardiorrespiratória, IC, FUC, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Bordignon
Solange
S
Bueno
André Dias
AD
Lima
Lidia Lucas
LL
Nesralla
Ivo
I
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology*