Objective: To investigate associations between preoperative variables and postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) in elective upper abdominal surgery. Design: Prospective clinical trial. Setting: A tertiary university hospital. Patients: 408 patients were prospectively analyzed during the preoperative period and followed up postoperatively for pulmonary complications. Measurements: Patient characteristics, with clinical and physical evaluation, related diseases, smoking habits, and duration of surgery. Preoperative pulmonary function tests (PFT) were performed on 247 patients. Results: The postoperative pulmonary complication rate was 14 percent. The significant predictors in univariate analyses of postoperative pulmonary complications were: age >50, smoking habits, presence of chronic pulmonary disease or respiratory symptoms at the time of evaluation, duration of surgery >210 minutes and comorbidity (p <0.04). In a logistic regression analysis, the statistically significant predictors were: presence of chronic pulmonary disease, surgery lasting >210 and comorbidity (p <0.009). Conclusions: There were three major clinical risk factors for pulmonary complications following upper abdominal surgery: chronic pulmonary disease, comorbidity, and surgery lasting more than 210 minutes. Those patients with three risk factors were three times more likely to develop a PPC compared to patients without any of these risk factors (p <0.001). PFT is indicated when there are uncertainties regarding the patient's pulmonary status. Key words: abdominal surgery, risk factor, morbidity Abbreviations: BMI = body mass index; FEV1/FVC = forced expiratory volume in the first second divided by forced vital capacity; PPC = postoperative pulmonary complication. respiratory infections, bronchoconstriction and respiratory failure. 3,11,12 Preoperative spirometric tests have been reported to be reliable predictors of PPCs. However, the risk of PPCs is usually estimated in heterogeneous populations and in various surgical procedures, 1,13,14 making it difficult to ascertain the relationship between PPCs and previous spirometric abnormalities. The aim of this study was to follow prospectively a group of patients undergoing an elective upper abdominal surgery to identify those factors associated with an increased risk of developing PPCs using a standard preoperative evaluation. In addition, a subgroup of these patients was submitted to spirometr y to investigate the importance of this test as a predictor of PPCs in this population. Original Article METHODSThis study was performed on 408 consecutive patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery at the Federal University of São Paulo's teaching hospital. All patients were referred for a preoperative assessment (between January 1992 and December 1992), after having been scheduled for elective upper abdominal surgery. All were operated on and observed at the same hospital.Of the 408 patients, 206 were men and 202 were women and their mean age was 55 + 15 years. Operative procedures are...

The incidence from March 2003 to March 2005 of PPCs in patients who had undergone craniotomy was 25% and death occurred in 10%. Some risk factors for PPCs may be predicted such as the type of surgery performed, prolonged mechanical ventilation, a longer time in the ICU, a decreased level of consciousness, duration of surgery, and previous chronic lung disease.

INTRODUÇÃO: A gastroplastia tem sido cada vez mais indicada no tratamento de obesos mórbidos, pacientes nos quais podemos identificar alteração pronunciada de volumes e capacidades pulmonares. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o comportamento dos volumes e capacidades pulmonares, força muscular respiratória, padrão respiratório e as possíveis complicações pulmonares pós-operatórias. MÉTODO: Vinte e um pacientes (três homens) com média de idade de 39 ± 9,7 anos, média de índice de massa corpórea de 50,4 Kg/m², candidatos à gastroplastia, foram avaliados no pré-operatório, primeiro, terceiro e quinto dias de pós-operatório e submetidos a mensuração de volume corrente, capacidade vital, volume minuto, pressões máximas expiratória e inspiratória, e circunferências abdominal e torácica. Observou-se a ocorrência de complicações pulmonares pós-operatórias e mortalidade. RESULTADOS: No primeiro e terceiro dias de pós-operatório houve queda de 47% e 30,5% na capacidade vital, 18% e 12,5% no volume minuto, 28% e 21% no volume corrente, 47% e 32% no índice diafragmático, 51% e 26% na pressão inspiratória máxima, e 39,5% e 26% na pressão expiratória máxima, respectivamente (p < 0,05). No quinto dia de pós-operatório, todos os valores das variáveis analisadas apresentaram-se maiores que os do primeiro pós-operatório, evidenciando um crescimento linear, com retorno total aos seus valores pré-operatórios apenas de volume corrente, volume minuto e índice diafragmático. Houve uma incidência de complicações pulmonares pós-operatórias de 4,7% e não houve óbitos. CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes submetidos a gastroplastia apresentam redução da função pulmonar, evidenciando um comportamento bastante semelhante ao já observado no pós-operatório de outras cirurgias do andar superior do abdome.

Objective: To analyze pulmonary functional changes and pain in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting utilizing a left internal thoracic artery graft, comparing pleural drain insertion through the intercostal space and the subxyphoid approach.Methods: Twenty-eight patients (mean age 57.4 ± ± ± ± ± 8.4 years) were divided into two groups, according to the pleural drain site. Group LI (n=15) had the pleural drain inserted through the sixth left intercostal space at the mid-axillary line and in the MI group (n=13) the drain was placed through the subxyphoid region. All the patients underwent pre-and postoperative evaluations of pulmonary function tests as well as arterial blood gas analysis. Forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume over one second (FEV 1 ) were recorded in the preoperative period, and on the first, third and fifth postoperative days. The pain sensation was evaluated using a standard score from 0 to 10. Results:In both groups, falls in the FVC and FEV 1 were noted, up to the fifth postoperative day (P<0.001). However the decrease was higher in the LI group, when compared to the MI group (p<0.05). Also arterial blood gas analysis showed a decline of the partial oxygen pressure in both groups on the first postoperative day, but more significantly in the LI group (p=0.021). The pain sensation was higher in the LI group (p=0.002).Conclusion: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting using the left internal thoracic artery, disregarding the pleural drain site, leads to a significant decrease of postoperative pulmonary function. However, the subxyphoid technique of drain insertion has shown a better preservation of the lung function when compared to the intercostal drain site.Descriptors: Coronary artery bypass surgery. Pleural drain. Pulmonary function. 48GUIZILINI, S ET AL -Effects of the pleural drain site on the pulmonary function after coronary artery bypass grafting Bras Cir Cardiovasc 2004; 19(1): 47-54 Rev

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Avaliação da função pulmonar em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio com e sem circulação extracorpórea

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an asthma education programme in moderate and severe asthma patients in a longitudinal, prospective and randomized study with a control group. Fifty-three asthmatic patients were studied, 26 of whom were assigned to the educational group and 27 to the control group.The educational group attended the programme regularly for a period of 6 months. The programme included information about asthma, instruction on the appropriate use of medication and training in the metered dose inhaler (MDI) technique, and information about the identification and control of asthma attacks and the recognition of early signs of exacerbation. The control group was submitted to the routine care provided at the Asthma Clinic, with no formal instruction regarding asthma control. The groups were identical with regard to severity parameters, skills, lung function and quality of life at the beginning of the trial.At the end of the study, the education group showed significant differences when compared with the control group (education/control (mean values)) with respect to: visits to the asthma emergency room over the previous 6 months, 0.7/2 (p=0.03); nocturnal symptoms, 0.3/0.7 (p=0.04); score of symptoms, 1.3/2 (p=0.04). Improvements were also observed in skills and quality of life, knowledge of how to deal with attacks and how to control the environmental triggering factors, 73/35 (<0.05); correct use of the MDI, 8/4 (0.001); understanding of the difference between relief and antiinflammatory medication, 86/20 (<0.05); and in the global limitation quality of life score, 28/50 (0.02).It is concluded that the educational programme led to a significant improvement in asthma morbidity and that the implantation of educational programmes is possible for special populations when these programmes are adapted to the socioeconomic profile of the patients, with a significant gain in terms of the reduction of symptoms and improved pulmonary function and quality of life of asthmatics. Eur Respir J 1999; 14: 908±914.

Objetivo: Estudar as alterações da ventilação e volumes pulmonares e da força muscular respiratória no pós-operatório de colecistectomia por via laparoscópica. Tipo de estudo: Estudo prospectivo. Material e métodos: Foram avaliados 20 pacientes provenientes da enfermaria de gastrocirurgia da Unifesp, com média de idade 42,7 anos, sendo 7 (35%) homens e 13 (65%) mulheres. No período pré-operatório todos foram submetidos a um questionário clínico, exame físico, radiografia de tórax, espirometria. No pré e no pós-operatório foram obtidas as medidas da força muscular respiratória (pressões inspiratória e expiratória máximas), da ventilação pulmonar (volume corrente e volume minuto), da capacidade vital, a oximetria de pulso e o índice diafragmático (ID). Este índice é capaz de refletir o movimento toracoabdominal, determinado pelas mudanças nas dimensões ântero-posteriores da caixa torácica (CT) e do abdome (AB) e foi calculado utilizando-se a seguinte fórmula: ID = D AB/D AB + D CT. Resultados: Observou-se que os pacientes evoluíram no primeiro dia de pós-operatório com diminuição média significante de 26% do volume corrente, de 645ml ± 220ml para 475ml ± 135ml; 20% do volume minuto, de 15,0L ± 4,5L para 11,9L ± 3,6L; 36% da capacidade vital, de 2,7L ± 0,6L para 1,74L ± 0,7L; 47% da pressão inspiratória máxima, de -75 ± -22cm/H2O para -40 ± 17cm/H2O; 39% da pressão expiratória máxima, de +90 ± 28cm/H2O para +55 ± 28cm/H2O e 36% do índice diafragmático, de 0,60 ± 0,10 para 0,39 ± 0,14 (p < 0,05). O volume corrente, o volume minuto e a pressão expiratória máxima retornaram aos seus valores basais no 3º dia de pós-operatório; a capacidade vital, pressão inspiratória máxima e o índice diafragmático retornaram aos seus valores basais entre o 4º e o 6º dia de pós-operatório. Dos vinte pacientes, somente um apresentou atelectasia como complicação pulmonar, tendo evoluído bem com as medidas habituais de fisioterapia respiratória. Conclusão: Concluímos que os pacientes submetidos à colecistectomia por via laparoscópica apresentam no 1º dia de pós-operatório diminuição significante dos volumes pulmonares e da força muscular respiratória. Porém, quando comparados com dados de literatura, o retorno aos valores pré-operatórios é mais rápido na cirurgia por via laparoscópica (3º e 4º dias de pós-operatório) do que na cirurgia abdominal convencional.