INTRODUCTION: Postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing cardiac surgeries are usually a clinical challenge, which can be prevented and treated with specific physical therapy techniques. However, it is not known which technique is the most effective. OBJECTIVE: Literature review with the objective of assessing the effectiveness of positive pressure (CPAP, IPPB, NIV-2P) compared to standard physioterapy therapy and incentive spirometry on improving pulmonary function in postoperative cardiac surgery patients. METHODS: English and Portuguese studies were used as references, searching for specific descriptors on the following data sources: BIREME, SciELO Brazil, LILACS, PubMed, from 1985 to 2010. Only randomized clinical trials were included. RESULTS: Ten randomized control trials were included in this review. About the most effective technique, two studies showed that CPAP and NIV-2P were more effective than standard physioterapy and incentive spirometry. In other two studies, NIV-2P were more effective than nasal oxygen catheter and standard physioterapy. CONCLUSION: There is no evidence in the literature about the most effective physiotherapy technique. Also, it is not known if the association of positive pressure, standard physioterapy and incentive spirometry can be more effective. It is important to emphasize that no selected study compared the three modalities of positive pressure.

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