Pulmonary disorders and physiotherapy in patients who undergo cholecystectomy.

The relations between postoperative pulmonary complications and physiotherapy were studied in 194 patients who underwent cholecystectomy for cholelithiasis. Radiologically confirmed pulmonary disorders such as atelectasis and pneumonia developed in 42 patients. These complications occurred in the older patients in the group who had spent a longer time in hospital before operation and whose anesthesia had lasted longer. Patients receiving physiotherapy had substantially fewer pulmonary disorders.