The effects of sternotomy and thoracotomy on respiratory muscle strength

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

doi:10.17944/interdiscip.1804135

The effects of sternotomy and thoracotomy on respiratory muscle strength

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

Supporting Institution

None

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.

Thanks

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

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Thoracic Surgery, Cardiovascular Surgery

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Özerk Öztekin ^*
0000-0003-4526-4280
Türkiye

Hasan Hepağuşlar This is me
0000-0002-5417-2217
Türkiye

A. Pelin Girgin This is me
0000-0003-0352-7644
Türkiye

Gökhan Albayrak
0000-0002-9082-8631
Türkiye

İlknur Ulugün
0000-0002-3383-4832
Türkiye

Nezih Özdemir This is me
0000-0003-3086-8284
Türkiye

A. Hikmet Çımrın
0000-0003-0200-8439
Türkiye

Eyüp Hazan
0009-0004-4211-5882
Türkiye

Zahide Elar This is me
Türkiye

Publication Date

April 16, 2026

Submission Date

October 20, 2025

Acceptance Date

March 2, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 17 Number: 57

DOI

https://doi.org/10.17944/interdiscip.1804135

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA56JA56CF

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Öztekin, Ö., Hepağuşlar, H., Girgin, A. P., Albayrak, G., Ulugün, İ., Özdemir, N., Çımrın, A. H., Hazan, E., & Elar, Z. (2026). The effects of sternotomy and thoracotomy on respiratory muscle strength. Interdisciplinary Medical Journal, 17(57), 66-72. https://doi.org/10.17944/interdiscip.1804135

AMA

1.Öztekin Ö, Hepağuşlar H, Girgin AP, et al. The effects of sternotomy and thoracotomy on respiratory muscle strength. Interdiscip Med J. 2026;17(57):66-72. doi:10.17944/interdiscip.1804135

Chicago

Öztekin, Özerk, Hasan Hepağuşlar, A. Pelin Girgin, et al. 2026. “The Effects of Sternotomy and Thoracotomy on Respiratory Muscle Strength”. Interdisciplinary Medical Journal 17 (57): 66-72. https://doi.org/10.17944/interdiscip.1804135.

EndNote

Öztekin Ö, Hepağuşlar H, Girgin AP, Albayrak G, Ulugün İ, Özdemir N, Çımrın AH, Hazan E, Elar Z (April 1, 2026) The effects of sternotomy and thoracotomy on respiratory muscle strength. Interdisciplinary Medical Journal 17 57 66–72.

IEEE

[1]Ö. Öztekin et al., “The effects of sternotomy and thoracotomy on respiratory muscle strength”, Interdiscip Med J, vol. 17, no. 57, pp. 66–72, Apr. 2026, doi: 10.17944/interdiscip.1804135.

ISNAD

Öztekin, Özerk - Hepağuşlar, Hasan - Girgin, A. Pelin - Albayrak, Gökhan - Ulugün, İlknur - Özdemir, Nezih - Çımrın, A. Hikmet - Hazan, Eyüp - Elar, Zahide. “The Effects of Sternotomy and Thoracotomy on Respiratory Muscle Strength”. Interdisciplinary Medical Journal 17/57 (April 1, 2026): 66-72. https://doi.org/10.17944/interdiscip.1804135.

JAMA

1.Öztekin Ö, Hepağuşlar H, Girgin AP, Albayrak G, Ulugün İ, Özdemir N, Çımrın AH, Hazan E, Elar Z. The effects of sternotomy and thoracotomy on respiratory muscle strength. Interdiscip Med J. 2026;17:66–72.

MLA

Öztekin, Özerk, et al. “The Effects of Sternotomy and Thoracotomy on Respiratory Muscle Strength”. Interdisciplinary Medical Journal, vol. 17, no. 57, Apr. 2026, pp. 66-72, doi:10.17944/interdiscip.1804135.

Vancouver

1.Özerk Öztekin, Hasan Hepağuşlar, A. Pelin Girgin, Gökhan Albayrak, İlknur Ulugün, Nezih Özdemir, A. Hikmet Çımrın, Eyüp Hazan, Zahide Elar. The effects of sternotomy and thoracotomy on respiratory muscle strength. Interdiscip Med J. 2026 Apr. 1;17(57):66-72. doi:10.17944/interdiscip.1804135