REHABILITATION AFTER A SURGICAL CORRECTION OF CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE

Rehabilitation after a surgical correction of congenital heart disease

Original method of external muscular counter-pulsation in coronary heart disease patients at cardiosurgery clinic

Aim. To assess the effects of external muscular counter-pulsation (MCP) in early post-operation period among coronary heart disease (CHD) patients, who underwent coronary aortic bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Мaterial and methods. 47 CHD patients (all males, functional class of angina 3.4±0.08), after on-pump CABG, were divided into two groups. In the main group (n=29), starting at Day 1-2 after CABG, standard therapy was combined with MCP course (CardioLa device, Switzerland). Control group (n=18) was observed according to standard protocol. The methods used included echocardiography (EchoCG) and tetrapolar thoracic impedancometry at rest. Results. MCP facilitated normalization of central and peripheral hemodynamics, disturbed due to on-pump intervention. In main group, stroke volume (р<0.002), stroke index (р<0.003), minute volume (р<0.0001), cardiac index (р<0.0001) and total ejection fraction (р<0.0001) increased, according to EchoCG at rest, and total peripheral resistance decreased, according to tetrapolar thoracic impedancometry results, comparing to control group. The number of post-operation days at the hospital was significantly lower in main group, comparing with controls (р<0.0001). Conclusion. MCP is highly effective for stabilization and improvement of central and peripheral hemodynamics in early post-CABG period