La kinésithérapie respiratoire chez l'enfant après chirurgie cardiaque congénitale

In many paediatric intensive care units, respiratory physiotherapy is an integral part of the management of surgical cardiac children because of the risk or the presence of respiratory complications. It requires from those who carry it out a good knowledge of the congenital heart disease as of the evolution of each patient. Same treatments cannot be proposed to all children. Oxygenotherapy, endotracheal suctioning, airways clearance techniques and/or positive pressure respiratory support can be badly tolerated or contraindicated. The variety in clinical situations might explain the scarcity of publications on the subject and the lack of scientifically convincing conclusions. The paper reviews the present knowledge regarding respiratory physiotherapy in cardiac surgical children.