Abstract
COVID-19, also commonly known as coronavirus, is presently declared a pandemic disease by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This disease is transmitted by close contact with infected patients who are either asymptomatic or symptomatic. About 5% of COVID-19 patients are admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and present with either pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Chest physiotherapy may be provided to some patients admitted in ICU who may be broadly classified into the following two groups: 1. Patients suspected or infected with COVID-19 with no underlying lung disease (Other than COVID-19) & 2. Patients suspected or infected with COVID-19 with underlying lung disease (Other than COVID-19). Generally, asymptomatic patients do not require chest physiotherapy, but symptomatic patients do. This literature review discusses the various chest physiotherapy techniques related to body positioning, breathing, airway clearance, and mobilization that can be provided to COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU. More importantly, precautions to be taken by the physiotherapist involved in the care of COVID-19 patients in the ICU have also been reviewed.
Highlights
Coronavirus is a single-stranded RNA virus that belongs to the Coronaviridae family of viruses [1]
This is a pandemic disease as declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) worldwide
Sometimes the clinical presentation is of mild respiratory tract infection (Influenzalike illness (ILI)), or the patient will show pneumonia or Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) or may even present with respiratory failure late in the disease course
Summary
Coronavirus is a single-stranded RNA virus that belongs to the Coronaviridae family of viruses [1] Subjects affected with this coronavirus develop Coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19 [2]. The physical therapist is one of the intensive care unit team members who can play an essential role in managing even COVID-19 patients. During patient management, they are in close contact with the patient, and many of the interventions done by chest physiotherapists are aerosol-generating, and the therapist's safety is of great concern in such situations. Admissions in ICU can be of patients suspected or infected with COVID-19, with or without underlying lung disease (Other than COVID-19)
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