A breathing tape: a non-invasive prophylaxis/preventative measure for post-surgical atelectasis which supplies, rather than requires, patient motivation.

The lungs are the number one source of post-surgical complications and fever. Atelectasis and infection are a significant source of morbidity, extended hospital stays, and even mortality, from severe pneumonia or aspiration. For cardiac surgery patients who have spent time bypass intraoperatively and show transient focal neurological symptoms, or general surgery patients in pain from incisions, self-motivation for sufficient deep breathing may be lacking. As well, the breathing necessary to sustain life can be accomplished with small shallow breaths which are often not sufficiently deep to prevent atelectasis. Thus, patient autoregulation of breathing, may not be useful in preventing atelectasis. Here I propose a non-invasive prophylaxis against post-surgical atelectasis and its sequelae: an audio, or audio-visual 'breathing tape' (BT) containing the sounds and images of someone breathing as well as exhortatory messages for the patient.