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Open Access 01-12-2012 | Original article
Rationale and clinical benefits of an intensive long-term pulmonary rehabilitation program after oesophagectomy: preliminary report
Published in: Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine | Issue 1/2012
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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.