Prediction of the risk of pulmonary complication after surgery
Yoshida, T.; Hara, N.; Furukawa, T.; Inokuchi, K.
Nihon Kyobu Geka Gakkai 30(11): 1779-1783
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0369-4739 PMID: 7161531 Document Number: 186614
To evaluate whether closing volume and flow-volume curves are valuable for predicting the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications, the preoperative values were studied in patients who developed postoperative atelectasis or pneumonia and those who did not. All patients were over 40 yr of age and most of them had normal spirometric studies. Of 197 patients, 29 developed postoperative pulmonary complications. They were mostly thoracotomy cases and heavy cigarette smokers. The patients with postoperative pulmonary complications had significantly decreased (FRC-CC), .ovrhdot.VFRC and .ovrhdot.V25, CC signifies closing capacity; .ovrhdot.VFRC and .ovrhdot.V25 signify the flow at the levels of FRC expired on the flow-volume curve. If CC is ready to exceed or already exceeds FRC as seen in the patients with pulmonary complications, CC will be greater than the FRC after operation, because the FRC is markedly decreased postoperatively thus increasing the number of airways that may collapse during tidal breathing, resulting in atelectasis.