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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Prone Lateral Minimally Invasive Retropleural Corpectomy Using a Rotatable Radiolucent Jackson Table
Published on: July 3, 2025
Preserved pleural integrity provides better respiratory function and pain score after coronary surgery
Ahmet Umit Gullu1, Abdurrahman Ekinci, Yavuz Sensoz
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Center, Istanbul, Turkey. aumitgullu@yahoo.com
Background And Aim:
Patients undergoing surgical procedures through median sternotomy have reduced pulmonary function in the postoperative period. Our study was designed to evaluate the effect of pleural integrity in terms of respiratory functions and pain score after coronary bypass procedures.
Methods:
In a randomized, prospective study we evaluated 320 patients in two groups. Group I (n = 160) patients were the patients whose pleural cavity was intact while internal mammary artery (IMA) harvesting, and in group II (n = 160) the pleural cavity of the patients was opened. They matched in terms of postoperative respiratory functions and pain score.
Results:
FEV1 (%) and FEV1/FVC levels at the postoperative fifth day were significantly lower in group II (I = 71.5 +/- 4.9 vs. II = 63.5 +/- 8.3 and I = 24.1 vs. II = 22.1), respectively (p < 0.05). The rate of postoperative pleural effusions and atelectasis at the postoperative fifth day were significantly higher in group II (I = 35%, 15% vs. II = 48%, 35%), respectively (p < 0.05). The pain score was higher in group II at postoperative fifth day.
Conclusions:
All patients undergoing cardiac surgery suffer deterioration in pulmonary functions. Pleurotomy seems to compound this with increased rates of atelectasis and pleural effusions. Moreover, preserving pleural integrity provides beneficial effects on pain score after coronary operations especially in the early postoperative period.
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