POSTOPERATIVE PULMONARY COMPLICATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH PREOPERATIVE LUNG-DISEASE

A prospective study was carried out on the incidence of pulmonary comp lications in 728 patients who underwent major surgical procedures at a reputed hospital in New Delhi. These patients were preoperatively ass essed on the basis of history, clinical examination and bedside pulmon ary function tests including PEFR, VC, FVC and FEV1. On the basis of t hese criteria, 212 patients had significant preoperative pulmonary dis ease, while 516 had normal lung functions. Postoperative pulmonary com plications developed in 7.69 per cent of the patients. They were more frequent in smokers (P < 0.001) and in those with preoperative pulmona ry dysfunction (P < 0.001). Their incidence was greater following thor aco-abdominal and musculoskeletal and miscellaneous operations compare d to lower abdominal surgery (P < 0.001). The incidence was also highe r following exposure to general anaesthesia compared to regional anaes thesia (P < 0.05). Pneumonia and atelectasis were the most common post operative pulmonary complications. It was observed that the recovery o f pulmonary functions was delayed in patients who developed postoperat ive pulmonary complications.