Randomisation and blinding
Participants who satisfied the eligibility criteria were block randomised using SAS software (version 9.4; SAS Institute, Inc.) with a 1:1:1 allocation using random block sizes of 3 and 6. Patients were equally assigned to the Acapella plus ACBT, EDP plus ACBT, or ACBT group. Blinding of participants to the treatment allocation was not possible or desirable, and outcome measures were assessed blindly by investigators who were blinded to the group to which each participant was allocated.In this study, both research investigators and surgeons verified eligibility. Upon establishing the indication for surgery, a medical research team screened the patients to determine whether they had any health-related conditions that prevented them from participating in the trial. The research investigators then contacted them and arranged an appointment to explain the trial in detail during the scheduled outpatient appointment. Sufficient time was given to patients to inquire about the trial details and decide whether to participate. After written informed consent was obtained following a complete explanation of the study, a multidisciplinary assessment was conducted by physiotherapists, surgeons, and rehabilitation nurses with extensive experience in implementing pulmonary rehabilitation and using these therapies.