Affirmative Outcome after Modified Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation in Postpump Syndrome with Reduced Ejection Fraction following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

Abstract

In Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) patients’ Postoperative Pulmonary Complications (PPCs) like atelectasis, pleural effusion, pneumonia, pulmonary oedema, and pneumothorax are the leading cause of morbidity. Secondary prevention and Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) are essential aspects of the postrevascularisation care approach. A 56-year-old male, diagnosed with triple vessel disease with reduced ejection fraction, underwent CABG surgery and developed Postpump Syndrome (PPS). There was pleural effusion secondary to the cardio-pulmonary bypass machine. Postoperatively, the patient complained of pain at the incision site, cough, and difficulty in breathing. He underwent two weeks of a precise, planned early phase I CR protocol with regular vital monitoring. Postrehabilitation, the two-minute walk test (MWT) and Borg’s scale showed improvement in the walking distance sequentially from 7th, 11th, and 14th-day postoperatively. There was a decrease in the perception of difficulty in breathing. He showed a tremendous level of recovery in vitals, functional capacity, pain, and quality of life seen postrehabilitation. It can be concluded that exercise-based CR is an important adjunct therapy for secondary complications in post CABG patients.