Physiotherapeutic management in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: An integrative review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v15i4.50889Keywords:
Physiotherapy, Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, Early mobilization.Abstract
This integrative review aims to analyze the impacts of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on physiotherapeutic management in critically ill patients, with emphasis on respiratory, motor, and functional aspects. For this purpose, a literature search was conducted considering publications from the last ten years, with the selection of studies addressing the application of physiotherapy in patients undergoing ECMO. The results demonstrate that physiotherapy is feasible and can be initiated early, provided that the patient’s clinical stability is respected, with a predominance of interventions based on early and progressive mobilization, associated with respiratory physiotherapy. A low incidence of adverse events is observed, predominantly mild and reversible, which reinforces the safety profile of the interventions. Additionally, associations are identified with maintenance or improvement of functional capacity, increased muscle strength, and possible benefits in respiratory function and duration of mechanical ventilation. However, heterogeneity among studies, lack of standardized protocols, and methodological limitations are observed, which makes it difficult to compare the results. It is concluded that physiotherapy in patients undergoing ECMO is safe and potentially beneficial, although there is a need for more robust studies to support the standardization of clinical practices.
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