Abstract: |
Pulmonary complications are the main source of postoperative morbidity and mortality, with respiratory failure and pneumonia resulting in 50% of postoperative deaths after lung surgery. Despite the high incidence of postoperative complications, pulmonary resection remains the only effective treatment for lung cancer. Substantial resources are ascribed for the perioperative care of these high-risk patients. Clinical experience would dictate that predicting outcome could be of immense value in allocating resources. This review will consider the predictive value of preoperative testing, including spirometry, split lung function, blood gas analysis, carbon monoxide diffusion capacity, pulmonary vascular resistance, and exercise testing, as well as recent efforts to develop a combined cardiopulmonary index. © 1997 by W. B. Saunders Company. |