Objective To explore the effects of active cycle of breathing techniques (ACBT) combined with explain-simulate-practice-communicate-support (ESPCS) nursing on the psychological state and cardiopulmonary function of patients after lung cancer surgery.

Methods Eighty patients with routine nursing intervention after lung cancer surgery from September 2017 to September 2020 were selected as control group, and eighty patients with ACBT combined with ESPCS nursing from October 2020 to September 2023 were selected as combined group. Both groups were continuously intervened for 2 months. The psychological state, cardiac function indicators, lung function indicators, quality of life, and complications were compared between the two groups.

Results After the intervention, the psychological state of the combined group was significantly better than that of the control group (P<0.05). After the intervention, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV₁), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV₁-to-FVC ratio (FEV₁/FVC), vital capacity (VC), maximum minute ventilation (MMV), quality of life, and 6-minute walk test (6MWT) results in the combined group were significantly higher than those in the control group, while the early diastolic to early systolic maximum flow velocity ratio of the mitral valve (E/A), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), respiratory rate and Borgscale score were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The incidence of complications was 8.75% in the combined group, which was significantly lower than 21.25% in the control group (P<0.05).

Conclusion ACBT combined with ESPCS nursing can improve the psychological state, cardiopulmonary function, and quality of life of patients after lung cancer surgery, and reduce the incidence of complications.