Enfermería Global Nº 48 Octubre 2017 Página 275 ORIGINALES Exploratory laparotomy and cholecystectomy: analysis of respiratory rate and oxygen saturation of patients in the immediate postoperative period Laparotomia exploratória e colecistectomia: análise da frequência respiratória e saturação de oxigênio de pacientes no pós-operatório imediato Laparotomía exploratoria y colecistectomía: análisis de la frecuencia respiratoria y saturación de oxígeno de los pacientes en el postoperatorio inmediato Francisco Dimitre Rodrigo Pereira Santos 1 Hádina Diniz Lima Moraes 2 Simony Fabíola Lopes Nunes 3 Pedro Martins Lima Neto 4 Lívia Maia Pascoal 5 1 Master in Health Sciences from Federal University of Tocantins (UFT). Coordinator of the Physiotherapy Course of the Unidade de Ensino Superior do Sul do Maranhão – UNISULMA. Brazil. 2 Nurse from the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA). Brazil. 3 Master in Nursing from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). Assistant Professor, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA). Brazil. 4 Master Student in Health and Environment from the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA). Assistant Professor, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA). Brazil. 5 PhD in Nursing from the Federal University of Ceará (UFC). Adjunct Professor, Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA). Brazil. E-mail: franciscodimitre@hotmail.com http://dx.doi.org/10.6018/eglobal.16.4.281061 Received: 21/01/2017 Accepted: 17/04/2017 : ABSTRACT: Objective: To evaluate and compare the respiratory rate and oxygen saturation of patients in the immediate postoperative period of exploratory laparotomy and cholecystectomy. Material and Method: This is a cross-sectional and quantitative study with 63 patients seen between November 2014 and April 2015. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire applied to patients admitted to the Surgical Clinic of the Municipal Hospital of Imperatriz City. Patients of both sexes, aged from 18 to 59 years, in the immediate postoperative period of exploratory laparotomy (Group I) and cholecystectomy (Group II) participated in the study. Data related to respiratory rate (RR) and oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) were extracted from the questionnaire. Data were analyzed statistically using the BioEstat 5.0 program, as well as Shapiro Wilk test for normality between variables, Mann- Whitney inferential analytical test, and Spearman test for correlation between variables.