Which intervention is commonly used postoperatively to reduce respiratory complications?

• A. Pursed-lip breathing
• B. Segmental breathing
• C. Incentive spirometry
• D. Glossopharyngeal breathing

Answer: (C)

Promoting deep, controlled breathing after surgery helps prevent shallow ventilation and alveolar collapse, which are common sources of postoperative lung complications. Incentive spirometry specifically encourages the patient to take slow, sustained, maximal inhalations and provides visual feedback, helping to keep the airways open and re-expand collapsed areas of the lung. This simple, patient-driven approach is widely used after abdominal or thoracic procedures to reduce atelectasis and improve oxygenation, often with frequent repetitions while awake.

Other options address different goals or require more specialized therapy. Pursed-lip breathing is mainly a strategy for obstructive lung diseases to control air trapping, not a standard postoperative prophylaxis. Segmental breathing targets particular lung regions and can aid airway clearance, but incentive spirometry is more commonly implemented as a routine preventive measure due to its ease of use and broad applicability. Glossopharyngeal breathing is a specialized technique for severe neuromuscular weakness and isn’t a typical postoperative intervention for preventing respiratory complications.