Effects of Deep Breathing Exercises and Incentive Spirometry on Oxygen Levels After Rib Fractures

What this Trial Is About

Chest trauma is a serious consequence of traffic accidents, accounting for 10-15% of cases and involving injuries such as rib fractures. These injuries can lead to complications like pneumothorax, hemothorax, lung contusion, and particularly atelectasis, which is the most common complication following rib fractures. This research aims to study how two breathing exercises, spirometry and deep breathing, affect oxygen levels after rib fractures to help improve lung function and reduce complications. The study will randomly assign adult patients with rib fractures from chest trauma into two groups. One group will perform spirometry exercises using a device to take deep, slow breaths with breath holding, done five times daily with rest intervals during their intensive care stay. The other group will practice a deep breathing method involving controlled breaths with specific timing for inhalation, breath hold, and exhalation, also five times daily. Both interventions aim to support lung expansion and oxygenation. Participants will be monitored while in intensive care, with assessments including oxygen saturation and routine blood gas tests to measure lung function. Pain levels will be tracked using a numeric scale to guide pain management. Researchers will evaluate the impact of these breathing exercises on oxygenation over three days and on the length of intensive care unit stay over seven days. Demographic and clinical data will also be collected to support the study findings.

Deep Breathing Exercises and Incentive Spirometry After Rib Fracture