Rehabilitation Needs of Patients with
Covid-19 in Acute Phase
Volume 5 - Issue 1
Marina Garofano1*, Matteo Maria Ascoli1, Roberta Palumbo2 and Mariaconsiglia Calabrese3
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- 1PT, MSc student - Società Italiana Fisioterapia e Riabilitazione (S.I.Fi.R.), Italy
- 2PT, MSc - Società Italiana Fisioterapia e Riabilitazione (S.I.Fi.R.), Italy
- 3PT, PhD - President Società Italiana Fisioterapia e Riabilitazione (S.I.Fi.R.), Italy; Physiotherapy Degree Course, Departmentof Medicine,
Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, S.Allende Street, 81, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
*Corresponding author:
Marina Garofano, Società Italiana Fisioterapia e Riabilitazione (S.I.Fi.R.), Via Alessandro Rossi 114, 80056
Ercolano (NA), Italy
Received: April 23, 2020; Published: April 29, 2020
DOI: 10.32474/RRHOAJ.2020.05.000204
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Abstract
Background: COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 19) is a viral infection caused by SARS-Cov-2, that primarily affects the lower
respiratory tract and causes several symptoms described as flu-like. Treatment of the disease generally consists of managing clinical
symptoms and in case of more severe complications, patients require to be transfer to Intensive Care Units (ICU). Since this type of
infection is extremely recent, there are only few studies on the rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19.
Materials and Methods: Papers were identified via a search of PubMed, Scopus and Pedro databases, in order to analyze the
role of the physiotherapist in the intensive care units, in the management of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), not forgetting the risk
of infection for healthcare professionals.
Conclusion: The analysis of literature carried out shows the importance of the physiotherapists in the management of critically
ill patients in the ICU. Key goal of physiotherapy in ICU is the quality of long-term recovery, rather than short-term survival, and
physiotherapists play a valuable role in achieving this goal. Finally, in the case of airway infections, the use of Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) should not be overlooked, especially because physiotherapeutic procedures generating aerosols are at high risk
of transmission for infections.
Keywords: Physiotherapy; Physiotherapist; Covid-19; Coronavirus; Pulmonary rehabilitation; Chest physiotherapy; Intensive
care unit
Abbreviation: ACBT: Active Cycle of Breathing Techniques; BIPAP: Biphasic Positive Airway Pressure; CPAP: Continuous Positive
Airway Pressure; ECMO: Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation; ICU: Intensive Care Unit; ILD: Interstitial lung diseases; MERS:
Middle East respiratory syndrome; NIV: Non Invasive Ventilation; PPE: Personal Protective Equipment; PEP: Positive Expiratory
Pressure; RICU: Respiratory Intensive Care Units; SARS: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; MHI: Manual hyperinflation; PICS:
Post-Intensive Care Syndrome
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