Background: Mechanically ventilated patients are at risk of developing inspiratory muscle weakness (IMW), which is associated with failure to wean and poor outcomes. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is a recommended intervention during and after extubation but has not been widely adopted in Dutch intensive …

BACKGROUND: Endotracheal suctioning causes discomfort, is associated with adverse effects, and is resource-demanding. An artificial secretion removal method, known as an automated cough, has been developed, which applies rapid, automated deflation, and inflation of the endotracheal tube cuff during the …

Objective This study investigates the feasibility of delivering inspiratory muscle training as part of the physical therapy treatment for patients with post-COVID dyspnoea. Design Mixed-methods pilot study. Subjects/patients Patients with complaints of dyspnoea after COVID-19 infection and their physical …

Background: Preoperative inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is frequently used in patients waiting for major surgery to improve respiratory muscle function and to reduce the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). Currently, the mechanism of action of IMT in reducing PPCs is still unclear. …

Background Mechanical ventilation affects the respiratory muscles, but little is known about long-term recovery of respiratory muscle weakness (RMW) and potential associations with physical functioning in survivors of critical illness. The aim of this study was to investigate the course of recovery of …

Introduction The driving pressure (ΔP) has an independent association with outcome in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). INTELLiVENT-Adaptive Support Ventilation (ASV) is a closed-loop mode of ventilation that targets the lowest work and force of breathing. Aim To compare transpulmonary …

Background and Purpose: Decreased muscle mass and muscle strength are independent predictors of poor postoperative recov- ery in patients with esophageal cancer. If there is an association between muscle mass and muscle strength, physiotherapists are able to measure muscle strength as an early predictor …

Preoperative functional status is a risk factor for developing postoperative complications (POC) in major abdominal and thoracic surgery, but this has hardly been evaluated in esophageal cancer patients undergoing esophagectomy. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to determine if preoperative …

Background/Aims: This study examines the feasibility of a preoperative exercise program to improve the physical fitness of a patient before gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: An outpatient exercise program was developed to increase preoperative aerobic capacity, peripheral muscle endurance and respiratory …

Rationale To improve the quality of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) a practice guideline from the Dutch Royal Society for Physiotherapy (KNGF) has been developed. Guideline development A systematic literature search was performed to formulate conclusions …