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Contract-Relax (CR) Technique in the Management of Diaphragmatic Paresis After Cardiac Surgery

Efficacy of a Contract-Relax Technique in the Physical Therapy Management of Diaphragmatic Paresis After Cardiac Surgery

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05068219
Acronym
COREDIA
Enrollment
27
Registered
2021-10-05
Start date
2021-11-25
Completion date
2023-11-13
Last updated
2026-06-08

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Surgery, Cardiac

Keywords

Respiratory complications, Diaphragmatic paresis, Contract-Relax technique, Ultrasound measurement

Brief summary

Postoperative respiratory complications are common complications of patients after cardiac surgery and increase morbidity and mortality and hospital length of stay. Diaphragmatic dysfunction accounts for between 2 and 15% of these complications. Diaphragmatic paresis is one of these dysfunctions and could be due to an intra-operative phrenic nerve injury or harvesting of a mammary artery responsible for diaphragmatic devascularization. It alters the ventilatory mechanics and causes acute respiratory distress often requiring the use of mechanical ventilation. The diagnosis of this dysfunction can be made by thoracic ultrasound with assessment of diaphragmatic excursion. For patient with paresis, ultrasound criteria is an excursion \< 25 mm after deep inspiration for at least one of the two hemidiaphragms. This dysfunction is most often transient in the postoperative period, but it can also become persistent. Contract-Relax (CR) physical therapy technique can be applied to any muscle, providing muscle strengthening, neuromotor stimulation, and a gain in joint amplitude. Currently, post-cardiac surgery management of respiratory physiotherapy is the same for a patient with or without paresis. Moreover, the CR technique of the diaphragm is not part of this "standard" rehabilitation. The objective of this study is to determine if the CR technique associated with the current respiratory management allows an early rehabilitation of patients with diaphragmatic paresis after cardiac surgery.

Detailed description

This is a single-center, prospective, comparative, randomized, controlled, parallel group, single blind study, trial assessing the efficacy of the association of CR with a "standard" respiratory rehabilitation for patient with diaphragmatic paresis after cardiac surgery. This study compares two group : * "Control" group : Standard rehabilitation (4 rehabilitation sessions a day in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 2 sessions in cardiac surgery unit). * "Interventional' group : Standard rehabilitation + 3 CR during each session. A stratification of the randomization is planned according to diaphragmatic involvement (unilateral versus bilateral). Diaphragmatic excursion will be assessed by thoracic ultrasound in time motion (TM) mode at D3 and D5, before the first physiotherapy session of the day. The probe is placed on the mid-clavicular line under the costal grill, with an orientation at 90° of the diaphragmatic dome. The aim is to see the diaphragm through an acoustic window: the liver on the right and the spleen on the left. The diaphragm appears as a hyper echogenic line, the excursion is measured with the TM mode. Oxygen saturation SpO2 will be taken before and after each respiratory physiotherapy session taking place at D3 and D4. A measurement will be taken on D5 before the first rehabilitation session of the day.

Interventions

Standard rehabilitation for diaphragmatic paresis * EFA (Expiratory Flow Acceleration) at the upper thoracic level. * PEP (Positive Expiratory Pressure). * Expectoration if necessary (coughing up and spitting out)

The diaphragmatic CR is done in a semi-sitting position. The CR is composed of 4 steps : * First maximum inspiration expiration with position of the hands of the physiotherapist on the last ribs and without resistance (Goal: taking rhythm). * Second maximum inspiration expiration : Free inspiration, expiration with pressure on the last ribs to bring the diaphragm into internal stroke. * Maximum inspiration against resistance, then maximum expiration with increased pressure. * Maximum inspiration with dynamic release of resistance (Goal: hyperextension of the diaphragm) followed by maximum expiration with resistance to allow an increase in expiratory flow.

Sponsors

CMC Ambroise Paré
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

To minimize assessment bias, investigators and evaluators (doctor and ultrasound operator) will be unaware of the intervention group. Only the physiotherapist, who will realize the procedure, and the patient will know the arm of randomization.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Cardiac surgery under extracorporeal circulation, * Postoperative diaphragmatic paresis (Diaphragmatic excursion \<25mm), * Consent for participation, * Affiliation to the social security system

Exclusion criteria

* History of respiratory pathologies, * History of neurological pathologies, * Post-operative cardiac and circulatory complications, * Pregnant or breastfeeding women, * Unable to understand, * Guardianship, curators or safeguard of justice.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Diaphragmatic Excursion in Maximum InspirationDays 3 and 5Diaphragmatic excursion ratio during maximum inspiration, assessed separately for the left and right hemidiaphragms by ultrasound in TM mode. Measurements were obtained at Day 3 before the first rehabilitation session of the day (M1max, diaphragmatic displacement in mm) and at Day 5 before the first rehabilitation session of the day (M2max, diaphragmatic displacement in mm). The reported values correspond to the ratio of diaphragmatic excursion at Day 5 relative to Day 3 (M2max/M1max).

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Diaphragmatic Excursion in Normal InspirationDays 3 and 5Diaphragmatic excursion ratio during normal inspiration, assessed separately for the left and right hemidiaphragms by ultrasound in TM mode. Measurements were obtained at Day 3 before the first rehabilitation session of the day (M1rest, diaphragmatic displacement in mm) and at Day 5 before the first rehabilitation session of the day (M2rest, diaphragmatic displacement in mm). The reported values correspond to the ratio of diaphragmatic excursion at Day 5 relative to Day 3 (M2rest/M1rest).
Oxygen SaturationDays 3, 4 and 5SpO2 (%) before and after each physiotherapy session on D3 and D4 and before the first rehabilitation session of the day on D5.
Non-invasive Ventilationfrom Baseline (Day 0) through Day 30Duration of non-invasive ventilation : NIV, optiflow, CPAP (hours).
Oxygenationfrom Baseline (Day 0) through Day 30Time of oxygen therapy weaning (days). The reference time t0 will be the time of postoperative extubation.
Incidence of Respiratory Complicationsfrom Baseline (Day 0) through Day 30Occurence of reintubation, lung disease, atelectasis, bronchial fibroscopy, bronchospasm, pleural effusion, pneumothorax.
Intensive Care Unit ICU Length of Stayfrom Baseline (Day 0) through Day 30Duration of ICU stay (days).
Hospital Length of Stayfrom Baseline (Day 0) through Day 30Duration of hospitalization (days).
Pain Score : Numeric Rating Scale (NRS)Days 3 and 4Self-assessment by the patient of the pain felt with a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) from 0 (No pain) to 10 (Worst Possible Pain) after each session of respiratory physiotherapy at D3 and D4.

Countries

France

Baseline characteristics

Characteristic
Age, Continuous70 years
Laterality of diaphragmatic paresis
Bilateral
6 Participants
Laterality of diaphragmatic paresis
Left-sided
3 Participants
Laterality of diaphragmatic paresis
Right-sided
6 Participants
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected0 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
3 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
10 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 140 / 13
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 140 / 13
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 140 / 13

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 9, 2026