Pain and cardiorespiratory responses of children during physiotherapy after heart surgery

OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to determine the occurrence of pain and changes in blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and arterial oxygen saturation associated with physiotherapy in children undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS Eighteen extubated children were assessed for the presence of pain using the face, legs, activity, cry, consolability scale, and blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and arterial oxygen saturation were simultaneously recorded. The physiological parameters were measured at the following time periods: immediately before physiotherapy, five and 10 minutes after the beginning of physiotherapy, and five minutes after its end. Pain was assessed immediately before physiotherapy, ten minutes after the beginning of physiotherapy and five minutes after its end. Pain and physiological changes were assessed by the Friedman test and the correlation between the physiological parameters and the pain scores was assessed by the Spearman test. RESULTS Pain increased during physiotherapy and decreased significantly after it compared to pre-physiotherapy scores. Systolic blood pressure and heart rate increased significantly after 10 minutes of the beginning of physiotherapy. Arterial oxygen saturation tended to decrease during physiotherapy and to increase after it, although without significance. The correlation between pain scores and the physiological variables was significant only for systolic blood pressure and heart rate ten minutes after the beginning of physiotherapy. CONCLUSION Manipulation after the beginning of physiotherapy seems to be accompanied by significant pain and by important associated cardiovascular changes. Apparent analgesia and improved respiratory function were observed after respiratory physiotherapy.