[Perioperative morbimortality in pneumonectomy. Analysis of risk factors]

Pneumonectomy continues to be associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality.

The aim of this study was to determine the mortality and morbidity rates after pneumonectomy and to analyze perioperative risk factors related to mortality.

The cases of 266 patients undergoing pneumonectomy between January 1986 and December 1997 were reviewed retrospectively: 241 patients with lung cancer, 4 with pulmonary metastasis, 9 with bronchiectasis and 12 with other benign diseases; 13% received neoadjuvant therapy. The bronchial stump was stapled in 92%, sutured in 8%, and covered with autologous tissue in 73%. Intrapericardial pneumonectomy was performed in 32%, pneumonectomy extended to the chest wall or diaphragm in 9%, and completion pneumonectomy was performed in 3%. We collected general demographic data, medical histories, pulmonary function data and surgical technique. Deaths and postoperative complications within the first 30 days after pneumonectomy were also known.

Two hundred sixty-six pneumonectomies were performed [right 102 (38%); left 164 (62%)] in 249 men (93%) and 17 women (7%) who were 58 +/- 11 years of age (20 to 79 years). The rate of early postoperative death (30 days) was 5.6%. Mortality rates were higher among patients over 70 years of age (p = 0.045), diabetics (p = 0.038), patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy (p = 0.031), those with FEV1 under 1,800 ml (p = 0.013), cases of right-sided pneumonectomy (p = 0.001), cases of extended pneumonectomy (p = 0.037) or those without coverage of the bronchial stump (p = 0.005). Mortality was also higher when complications appeared involving the bronchial stump (p < 0.01), heart (p < 0.001), respiration (p < 0.001) or digestion (p = 0.002). Overall morbidity was 40%. Surgical complications developed in 23%: postpneumonectomy empyema (10%), bronchopleural fistula (7%) (with no significant difference related to stapling or suturing), hemothorax (3%) and wound complications (3%). Twelve patients (4.5%) underwent second operations. Cardiac morbidity was 20% (atrial fibrillation in 12%), respiratory morbidity was 8% and other complications appeared in 19% of cases.

In our experience, mortality after pneumonectomy is 5.6% with an overall complication rate of 40%, mainly due to surgical and cardiac complications. Coverage of the bronchial stump with autologous tissue reduces the risk of postoperative death due to fistula and/or empyema after pneumonectomy.