Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2004; 52(1): 45-48
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-815801
Original Thoracic

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Determinants of Perioperative Morbidity and Mortality after Pneumonectomy

Y. Cui 1 , D. Zhou 1 , W. Peng 1 , T. Liu 1 , H. Chen 1
  • 1Department of Thoracic Surgery, First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
Further Information

Publication History

Received August 18, 2003

Publication Date:
04 March 2004 (online)

Abstract

Background: Pneumonectomy remains a relatively high-risk procedure. However, the underlying mechanism is still unknown. Thus, the effort to find out predisposing factors for surgical risks continues. We investigated the effect of both water-load control and sampling lymphadenectomy technique on perioperative morbidity and mortality after pneumonectomy. Material and Methods: A hundred and three consecutive patients undergoing simple pneumonectomy were included in the prospective study. Pneumonectomy was performed for lung cancer in 92 patients and for benign diseases in 11 cases; 81 patients were male and 22 female, and the mean age was 53.4 ± 11.4 years. Both sampling and completion lymphadenectomy techniques were used randomly. Water-load was carefully limited to values as low as possible, depending on stable hemodynamics during and after operation. Results: There were no deaths, and none of the patients needed postoperative mechanical ventilation. Major complications included dyspnea in 9 patients and supraventricular arrhythmias in 13 patients. Completion lymphadenectomy increased morbidity in both right and left pneumonectomy. Conclusions: Both water-load limitation and sampling lymphadenectomy technique may decrease morbidity and mortality after pneumonectomy.

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Yingjie Cui

Department of Thoracic Surgery
First Hospital, Peking University

Dahongluo Chang 1 · Xicheng Qu

Beijing 100034

The People's Republic of China

Phone: + 861081713801

Fax: + 86 10 81 71 38 01

Email: ycui3103@hotmail.com