The Relationship between Pre-Operative Lung Function Test Results and Post-Operative Complications in Carcinoma of the Bronchus

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Abstract
The results of lung function tests on 81 patients who subsequently developed cardiopulmonary complications after thoracotomy for carcinoma of the bronchus were compared with those from the same number of similar patients who suffered no complications. Simple statistical analysis showed that there was a correlation between the occurrence of the complications and abnormality in the test results. By comparing the results in each complication with those of each of the two groups of patients as a whole it was demonstrated that the occurrence of not only respiratory insufficiency but also of cardiac conditions and bronchopleural listulae were statistically related to abnormal pre-operative pulmonary function in the patients studied. Possible mechanisms for a causal relationship are discussed and it is suggested that patients with carcinoma of the bronchus with abnormal lung function can develop two types of postoperative complications: those due to sputum retention or an intra-pulmonary infection, and those due to the pressure changes in the operation space reacting upon abnormal tissue in the remaining lung. Even if the suggestions regarding the causal mechanisms were disproved, the demonstration of the statistical relationships would remain of value in the context of predicting the risk of post-operative complications from the pre-operative function test results

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