MedPath

Effect of Speaking Aloud After Abdominal Surgery.

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Postoperative Respiratory Complications
Interventions
Other: Speaking loudly during about 3 minutes
Device: Positive expiratory pressure
Registration Number
NCT04276584
Lead Sponsor
Umeå University
Brief Summary

Hypoxia and reduced vital capacity is commonly occurring after abdominal surgery. Positive expiratory pressure is one treatment suggested to improve lung function after surgery. We aim to test whether speaking improves postoperative oxygen saturation and ventilation after abdominal surgery. In a cross-over design, 50 subjects will be randomized to start with either positive expiratory pressure maneuvers, i.e. deep inspiration followed by expiration in a positive expiratory pressure device at 10-15 cm of water, or to start with reading a text loudly. Arterial blood gases will be taken at study start. Patients will be monitored using Noxturnal T3, Res Med for respiration and pulse oximetry, and online transcutaneous carbon dioxide partial pressure measurements (SenTec Digital monitoring systems). Main outcome measurements include oxygen saturation after speaking compared with positive expiratory pressure therapy.

Detailed Description

Hypoxia and reduced vital capacity is commonly occurring after abdominal surgery. Positive expiratory pressure is one treatment suggested to improve lung function after surgery, but there is a lack of evidence of effect. En passant, we observed that oxygen saturation was improved when patients talked postoperative day 1. We aim to test whether speaking improves postoperative oxygen saturation and ventilation after abdominal surgery.

It was estimated that a sample size of 34 patients was needed to detect a mean and (SD) difference in oxygen saturation of 1% (2%) and to detect a difference in transcutaneous carbon dioxide partial pressure of 0.5 kPa (1 kPa) with a significance level of 0.05 and a power of 0.8.

In a randomized controlled trial, 50 subjects will be randomized (1:1) to start with either positive expiratory pressure maneuvers, i.e. 3 x 10 deep inspiration followed by expiration in a positive expiratory pressure device of 10-15 cm H20 or to start with reading a text loudly during 3 minutes. Patients will be monitored using Noxturnal T3, Res Med for respiration and pulse oximetry. SenTec Digital Monitoring systems for online transcutaneous carbon dioxide partial pressure measurements.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
50
Inclusion Criteria
  • Performed abdominal surgery within 2 days at the departments of surgery, urology or gynecology at Umeå university hospital
Exclusion Criteria
  • Patients referred to ICU because of immediate postoperative complications.

    • Patients who are unable to perform the study.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Speaking loudlySpeaking loudly during about 3 minutesSpeaking loudly during 3 minutes.
Positive expiratory pressurePositive expiratory pressureDeep inspiration followed by expiration to a resistance of 10-15 cm of water pressure. Done three times, each time with 10 inspiration/expiration cycles
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Oxygen saturation after speaking aloudAt day 1 or 2 after surgery

Oxygen saturation (SaO2) at 7 minutes after speaking aloud compared with positive expiratory pressure therapy

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Ventilation after speaking aloudAt day 1 or 2 after surgery

Transcutaneous carbon dioxide partial pressure after speaking aloud compared with positive expiratory pressure therapy

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Dept of Surgery, Inst of Surgical and Perioperative sciences

🇸🇪

Umeå, Umea, Sweden

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath