Aim of the Study: Empyema is the term for the pleural cavity's pus. The most prevalent period for empyema to emerge is in childhood, usually following an acute bacterial illness such as pneumonia. Later on, it might impair functional ability, chest motion, and dyspnea.
Objectives: The main goal of the study was to determine whether or not patients with emphysemas might benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation, which includes segmental breathing exercises, resistive exercises, and chest mobility exercises.
Subject and Methodology: A single case study design with pre- and post-tests was employed. A 23-year-old male patient with an empyema diagnosis was chosen. He reports having trouble breathing, having a smaller chest, intermittent fever, and coughing fits. He had pulmonary rehabilitation, which entailed segmental breathing exercises, ground-based walking, resistive exercise, and exercises for chest mobility. The eight weeks of treatment consisted of one session per day, on alternating days of the week, with four to five repetitions. Each day, the therapy lasted for sixty minutes in total. Inch tape, the MRC dyspnoeal scale, and spirometry were used to measure the pre- and post-test values. The results were recorded at the end of the second, fourth, and sixth weeks, with the eighth week's result being considered the post-value.
Result: Before and after exercise, there was an increase in the mean chest expansion on all three levels, as well as an increase in breathing as well as functional vital capacity. In the post-test, there was a significant increase in the functional capacity value in spirometry of 3.4, an expansion of 3 cm in the apical, 3.5 cm in the 4th costal cartilage level, and 3 cm in the 10th costal cartilage level. Additionally, there was a significant increase in the grade of grade 1 in the MRC Dyspnea scale for dyspnea.
After eight weeks of pulmonary rehabilitation, individuals with empyema have a substantial decrease in dyspnea as well as improvements in lung expansion and functional ability.
Keywords: Empyema, Pulmonary rehabilitation, Segmental breathing exercise, Dyspnea, Functional capacity, Lungs.
