The value of preoperative pulmonary assessment in predicting postoperative pulmonary complications

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the preoperative parameters that may predict postoperativepulmonary complications (POPCs) and the value of some current practical indexes in predictingPOPCs.MATERIALS and METHODS: Our study is a retrospective cohort study carried out in 9 differentcenters. Patients admitted to the chest diseases outpatient clinic for preoperative evaluation werefollowed up during the 6‑month study period. Patients with or without postoperative complicationswere evaluated retrospectively, and the effect of some parameters and indexes recorded duringthe preoperative evaluation of chest diseases on POPC development was investigated statistically.RESULTS: A total of 307 patients were included in the study. POPCs were observed in100 patients (32.6%). About 13% of these complications were respiratory tract infections, 59%were respiratory failure, 45% were pleural effusion, and 42% were atelectasis, which were the mostcommon pulmonary complications. The probability of experiencing POPCs by patients with chronicobstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is 2.5 (1.18–5.67) times more than those without COPD. Wedetermined that patients with the history of upper respiratory tract infection during the preoperativeperiod are 5.3 times more likely to have POPCs; similarly, the number was 4.7 for patients undergoingcardiac operation and 3.3 for patients with interstitial infiltration.CONCLUSION: The risk of pulmonary complications was higher for those with the history of upperrespiratory tract infection during the preoperative period, those undergoing cardiac surgery, thosewith the shortness of breath, those with the history of COPD, and those with the reticular/interstitialinfiltrations in the chest X‑ray. These parameters should be examined carefully in the preoperativeperiod and should be careful in terms of pulmonary complications that may develop during thepostoperative period.