[Postoperative complications in radically operated patients with non-small cell lung cancer]

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Despite the advances in medicine only 22% of the patients with lung cancer are candidates for radical operative treatment. Postoperative complications and mortality remain relatively high.

We present 320 patients, operated in our clinic for the period 2001-2005. 136 patients underwent lobectomy, 158--pulmonectomy, 22--bilobectomy, and 4--wedge resection.

Postoperative complications occurred in 63 (19,61%) patients. Nine deaths (2,81%) occurred within 10 days after the operation. Five patients (1,56%) developed bronchopleural fistula. We observed inflammatory pulmonary complications in 14 (4,37%), atelectasis in 26 (8,12%), postoperative empyema in 6 (1,87%), and wound infection in 3 (0,93%) patients.

The postoperative complications in radically operated patients with lung cancer remain relatively frequent. Precise preoperative evaluation and assessment of the patients are crucial to lower the risk of postoperative complications.