PRELIMINARY OUTCOMES OF REHABILITATION IN ACUTE STAGE AFTER VALVULAR SUGERY IN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER HO CHI MINH CITY

Abstract

Background: Valvular heart disease, which is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases, causes high medical cost burden worldwide. The proportion of valvular surgery has increased up to 20% of all cardiac surgeries. Early rehabilitation after valvular sugery has been applied in Vietnam, without any study about the efficacy of this method reported so far.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the preliminary outcomes of rehabilitation in acute stage for patients suffered from valvular sugery.

Methods: A descriptive study was carried out at University Medical Center in Ho Chi Minh City from October 2020 to October 2021.

Results: The study included 53 patients with valvular sugery, aged 52.98 ± 13.35. The average ICU length of stay (LOS) is 4.58 ± 2.47 days, and the mean hospital LOS is 14.25 ± 6.46 days. After rehabilitation, the mean value of inspiratory capacity on incentive spirometer raised from 932.08 ml to 1992.45 ml (p <0.001), Borg scale declined from 3.98 to 1.19 (p <0.001) and Barthel index increased from 61.41 to 98.85 (p <0.001). The mean 6-minute walk test distance of 13 patients was 441.92m. There was neither postoperative complications due to prolonged bed rest (pneumonia, deep venous thrombosis, pressure ulcers) nor events (falling, postural hypotension) due to exercises.

Conclusion: Early rehabilitation after valvular sugery was a safe intervention and had a positive effect on improving physical capacity, increasing independence in ADLs, reducing LOS and postoperative complications.

Keywords: valvular heart disease, valvular sugery, rehabilitation, length of stay