Author/Authors :
Song, Joo Han Department of Internal Medicine - Institute of Chest Diseases - Severance Hospital - Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul , Park, Ji-Eun Department of Internal Medicine - Institute of Chest Diseases - Severance Hospital - Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul , Lee, Sang Chul Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine - Severance Rehabilitation Hospital - Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul , Kim, Sarang Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine - Severance Rehabilitation Hospital - Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul , Lee, Dong Hyung Severance Hospital, Seoul , Kim, Eun Kyoung Severance Hospital, Seoul , Kim, Song Yee Department of Internal Medicine - Institute of Chest Diseases - Severance Hospital - Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul , Shin, Ji Cheol Department and Research Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine - Severance Rehabilitation Hospital - Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul , Lee, Jin Gu Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Yonsei University College of Medicine - Seoul, Korea , Paik, Hyo Chae Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - Yonsei University College of Medicine - Seoul, Korea , Park, Moo Suk Department of Internal Medicine - Institute of Chest Diseases - Severance Hospital - Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul
Abstract :
Background: Physical function may influence perioperative outcomes of lung transplantation.
We investigated the feasibility of a pulmonary rehabilitation program initiated in the immediate
postoperative period at an intensive care unit (ICU) for patients who underwent lung transplantation.
Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 22 patients who received pulmonary rehabilitation
initiated in the ICU within 2 weeks after lung transplantation at our institution from March
2015 to February 2016. Levels of physical function were graded at the start of pulmonary
rehabilitation and then weekly throughout rehabilitation according to criteria from our institutional pulmonary rehabilitation program: grade 1, bedside (G1); grade 2, dangling (G2); grade
3, standing (G3); and grade IV, gait (G4).
Results: The median age of patients was 53 years (range, 25 to 73 years). Fourteen patients
(64%) were males. The initial level of physical function was G1 in nine patients, G2 in seven
patients, G3 in four patients, and G4 in two patients. Patients started pulmonary rehabilitation
at a median of 7.5 days (range, 1 to 29 days) after lung transplantation. We did not observe
any rehabilitation-related complications during follow-up. The final level of physical function
was G1 in six patients, G3 in two patients, and G4 in 14 patients. Fourteen of the 22 patients
were able to walk with or without assistance, and 13 of them maintained G4 until discharge;
the eight remaining patients never achieved G4.
Conclusions: Our results suggest the feasibility of early pulmonary rehabilitation initiated in
the ICU within a few days after lung transplantation.
