Effect of mechanical chest vibration during chest physiotherapy on ventilator parameters and oxygen saturation in mechanically ventilated patients

Abstract: Background: Chest physiotherapy is necessary to facilitate removal of secretions accumulated in the lungs and increase pulmonary perfusion and ventilation. Vibration is a technique used during chest physiotherapy. Mechanical vibration produces high frequency and small amplitude which is an appropriate alternative method. Aim of the Study: was to evaluate the effect of mechanical chest vibration during chest physiotherapy on ventilator parameters and oxygen saturation in mechanically ventilated patients. Design: An experimental research design was used to conduct this study. Setting: The study was carried out at general ICU at Damanhour Medical Institute. Tool: outcome of chest physiotherapy assessment tool was used to collect the data of this study. It consists of five parts: Part I included demographic data, Part II assessed physiological parameters, Part III assessed oxygenation status parameters, Part IV assessed ventilator parameters and Part V assessed cough stimulation and amount of secretion. Method: Patients who were met the inclusion criteria were assigned randomly into two equal groups; manual vibration and mechanical vibration groups. Results: there were significant improvements in the means of PaO2, SaO2 and SPO2 in both groups with significant differences. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressures and mean blood pressure were increased at different intervals in both groups . Conclusion: the effectiveness of chest physiotherapy between the control group and the experimental group was not different. Therefore, chest physiotherapy using a mechanical vibrator can promote sputum drainage with conventional chest physiotherapy.
Key words: mechanical chest vibration, chest physiotherapy, ventilator parameters, oxygen saturation, mechanically ventilated Patients.