Fisioterapia respiratoria en la unidad de cuidados intensivos: Revisión bibliográfica / Respiratory physiotherapy in intensive care unit: Bibliographic review

Introducción y objetivos: Los pacientes ingresados en unidades de cuidados intensivos son susceptibles de complicaciones pulmonares por múltiples causas (enfermedad de base, inmovilización, riesgo de infección, etc.). La principal intervención para prevenirlas y tratarlas es la fisioterapia respiratoria (FR), práctica habitual en el día a día de enfermería. Por ello se realizó esta revisión bibliográfica, con el objetivo de describir los métodos de FR más eficaces para la prevención y tratamiento de las complicaciones pulmonares en los pacientes ingresados en unidades de cuidados intensivos, diferenciando paciente intubado y no intubado. Metodología: Se llevó a cabo una revisión narrativa de la literatura en las bases de datos Pubmed, Cinahl y Cochrane Library. Los límites fueron el idioma, la evidencia de los últimos 15 años y la edad. Resultados: Las técnicas de expansión pulmonar, tos, vibración, percusión, drenaje postural, espirometría incentivada y los sistemas oscilatorios y no oscilatorios presentan controversia en cuanto a la eficacia como método de fisioterapia respiratoria. En cambio, la ventilación mecánica no invasiva muestra clara evidencia de su beneficio. En el paciente intubado, la hiperinsuflación manual y la aspiración de secreciones son métodos eficaces para la prevención de complicaciones respiratorias. El resto de métodos de FR aplicados de forma aislada no han demostrado una clara eficacia. Discusión y conclusiones: Las técnicas de FR que han demostrado mejores resultados son la ventilación mecánica no invasiva para el paciente no intubado y la hiperinsuflación manual para el paciente intubado. Respecto al resto de técnicas existe mayor controversia. En ambos grupos de pacientes, la literatura muestra que la terapia combinada es la más eficaz

Introduction and aims: Patients in intensive care unit are susceptible to complications due to different causes (underlying disease, immobilisation, infection risk...) The current main intervention in order to prevent these complications is respiratory physiotherapy, a common practice for nurses on a daily basis. Therefore, we decided to carry out this bibliographic review to describe the most efficient respiratory physiotherapy methods for the prevention and treatment of lung complications in patients in intensive care, taking into account the differences between intubated and non-intubated patients. Methodology: The bibliographic narrative review was carried out on literature available in Pubmed, Cinahl and Cochrane Library. The established limits were language, evidence over the last 15 years and age. Results: Techniques involving lung expansion, cough, vibration, percussion, postural drainage, incentive inspirometry and oscillatory and non-oscillatory systems are controversial regarding their efficacy as respiratory physiotherapy methods. However, non-invasive mechanical ventilation shows clear benefits. In the case of intubated patients, manual hyperinflation and secretion aspirations are highly efficient methods for the prevention of the potential complications mentioned above. In this case, other RP methods showed no clear efficiency when used individually. DiscusSion and conclusions: Non-invasive mechanical ventilation (for non-intubated patients) and manual hyperinflation (for intubated patients) proved to be the respiratory physiotherapy methods with the best results. The other techniques are more controversial and the results are not so clear. In both types of patients this literature review suggests that combined therapy is the most efficient

Respiratory physiotherapy in intensive care unit: Bibliographic review. / Fisioterapia respiratoria en la unidad de cuidados intensivos: Revisión bibliográfica.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Patients in intensive care unit are susceptible to complications due to different causes (underlying disease, immobilisation, infection risk…) The current main intervention in order to prevent these complications is respiratory physiotherapy, a common practice for nurses on a daily basis. Therefore, we decided to carry out this bibliographic review to describe the most efficient respiratory physiotherapy methods for the prevention and treatment of lung complications in patients in intensive care, taking into account the differences between intubated and non-intubated patients. METHODOLOGY: The bibliographic narrative review was carried out on literature available in Pubmed, Cinahl and Cochrane Library. The established limits were language, evidence over the last 15 years and age. RESULTS: Techniques involving lung expansion, cough, vibration, percussion, postural drainage, incentive inspirometry and oscillatory and non-oscillatory systems are controversial regarding their efficacy as respiratory physiotherapy methods. However, non-invasive mechanical ventilation shows clear benefits. In the case of intubated patients, manual hyperinflation and secretion aspirations are highly efficient methods for the prevention of the potential complications mentioned above. In this case, other RP methods showed no clear efficiency when used individually. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Non-invasive mechanical ventilation (for non-intubated patients) and manual hyperinflation (for intubated patients) proved to be the respiratory physiotherapy methods with the best results. The other techniques are more controversial and the results are not so clear. In both types of patients this literature review suggests that combined therapy is the most efficient.