The effects of sternotomy and thoracotomy on respiratory muscle strength

Year 2026, Volume: 17 Issue: 57 , 66 - 72 , 16.04.2026

Özerk Öztekin , Hasan Hepağuşlar A. Pelin Girgin Gökhan Albayrak , İlknur Ulugün , Nezih Özdemir A. Hikmet Çımrın , Eyüp Hazan , Zahide Elar

https://izlik.org/JA56JA56CF

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this prospective clinical study was to investigate the effects of sternotomy and thoracotomy on respiratory muscle strength (RMS).
Method: After obtaining ethics committee approval and written informed consent from patients, 60 patients who underwent open heart surgery using sternotomy (Sternotomy Group [SG], n=30) or lung surgery using thoracotomy (Thoracotomy Group [TG], n=30) were included. Pulmonary function test (PFT) and respiratory muscle strength (RMS) test were performed before and after surgery to compare forced expiratory volume during the first second of the breath (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), maximal inspiratory pressure (Pİmax), maximal expiratory pressure (PEmax), and sniff nasal inspiratory pressure (SNIP) between groups.
Results: Preoperative FEV1, FVC, Pİmax, PEmax, and SNIP were similar between groups (p>0.05) and were found to be decreased significantly in the postoperative period (p<0.001). Postoperative FVC was significantly lower in SG than TG (p=0.021). The rates of decrease in FVC and Pİmax were significantly higher in SG than TG (48.71% vs. 34.95% for FVC; p=0.04 and 38.38% vs. %32.8 for Pİmax; p=0.04).
Conclusion: It is concluded that pulmonary functions and respiratory muscle strength may decrease after sternotomy and thoracotomy procedures. However; pulmonary function (FVC) and RMS (Pimax) were more adversely affected following sternotomy compared to thoracotomy during the early postoperative period.

Keywords

Respiratory Function Tests; Anesthesia , Anesthesia , General; , Sternotomy; , Thoracotomy

Ethical Statement

Ethical permission was obtained from the Dokuz Eylül University, Medical Faculty Clinical / Human Research Ethics Committee for this study with date 08.11.2010 and number 2010/10-06 and Helsinki Declaration rules were followed to conduct this study.

Supporting Institution

None

Thanks

The authors would like thank Dr. Mehmet Özgür Özhan for his valuable recommendations in preparing the manuscript.

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