POSTOPERATIVE SPIROMETRY AFTER LAPAROSCOPY FOR LOWER ABDOMINAL OR UPPER ABDOMINAL SURGICAL-PROCEDURES

In this prospective study, we have compared women undergoing laparosco pic cholecystectomy, laparoscopic gynaecological surgery and laparosco pic minor gynaecological procedures (diagnostic, tubal ligation) (n=10 in each group) to determine if lower abdominal laparoscopy results in less postoperative pulmonary dysfunction than upper abdominal laparos copy. Pulmonary testing was performed before operation, and 3 and 6 h after operation, on the first and second days after surgery. After ope ration, a significant reduction in forced viral capacity, forced expir atory volume in 1 s and peak expiratory flow rate occurred after lapar oscopic cholecystectomy at each time. There were no significant change s after minor gynaecologic laparoscopy, whereas laparoscopic gynaecolo gical surgery resulted in minor pulmonary dysfunction on the day of su rgery only. We conclude that postoperative pulmonary function was less impaired after gynaecological laparoscopy than after laparoscopic cho lecystectomy. This study suggests that the site of surgery is an impor tant determinant of lung dysfunction after laparoscopy.