Beneficial Effects of the Novel Digital Incentive Spirometer Device and Incentive Spirometer in Patients Undergoing Open-Heart Surgery: Randomized Controlled Trial.

The study was small, with only 32 participants completing the trial, which may limit the power to detect subtle differences between devices. There was no control group that received no incentive spirometry, so the study cannot determine if either device is better than doing nothing. Outcomes were measured only up to day 5 post-extubation, so long-term effects on recovery or complication rates were not assessed. All participants received concurrent standard physical therapy (breathing exercises, cough training, ambulation), making it impossible to isolate the specific contribution of the incentive spirometer device itself.

The study was conducted at Thammasat University. The text notes that the Digital Incentive Spirometer was developed by the authors. No specific external funding sources or commercial conflicts of interest were explicitly detailed in the provided text beyond the authors' role in device development.

Do not assume the digital device is clinically superior because it offers more feedback. The study found no significant difference in lung function or muscle strength between the digital and standard devices, and both groups declined similarly from baseline.