Respiratory physiotherapy in COVID-19: a case report

Abstract

Background: the clinical aspect of COVID-19 ranges to pneumonia to critically ill cases; however, there is a lack of studies reporting respiratory physiotherapy treatment in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Aim: we aimed to analyze the acute respiratory physiotherapy treatment in a patient with COVID-19. Methods: A symptomatic (fever 38.0º; dry-cough; dyspnea) young patient (30 years of age) with COVID-19 received oxygen therapy and respiratory physiotherapy during hospitalization. Pulmonary function was analyzed by computed tomography (CT) and by electrical impedance tomography (EIT). Results: CT demonstrated ground-glass opacity in the right lung and EIT demonstrated an improvement in pulmonary ventilation with a reduction in the pulmonary collapse after respiratory physiotherapy; self-report symptoms (dyspnea and shortness of breath) and the oxygen therapy were reduced after respiratory physiotherapy. Conclusion: we concluded that respiratory physiotherapy, even in non-critical ill patients, could lead a better pulmonary recovery and prevent worsening the scenario in COVID-19 patients.