[The change of extra vascular lung water volume in patients undergoing surgery for esophageal cancer]

In 27 operations on esophageal cancer, extra vascular lung water (EVLW) was used as pre- and postoperative parameter in the control of the respiratory function. The cases were divided into 2 groups. Group I consisted of 6 cases with pulmonary complications and group II, 21 cases without them. The changes of EVLW and the circulatory and respiratory parameters were compared between 2 groups. Preoperative EVLWs were 5.56 +/- 0.67 ml/kg in group I and 5.76 +/- 0.41 ml/kg in group II. The immediate postoperative EVLWs were 6.65 +/- 1.90 ml/kg in group I and 4.86 +/- 0.31 ml/kg in group II, but the difference was insignificant. Beyond the 12th hour of the postoperative period there was no significant difference in the EVLW levels of groups I and II. In group II the immediate postoperative EVLW was significantly less than the preoperative value. Only 2 cases had pulmonary edema. The immediate postoperative EVLWs of these patients were extremely elevated as compared with the preoperative value. Many reports said EVLW correlated with colloid osmotic pressure-pulmonary wedge pressure gradient or PaO2, but in our cases EVLW did not correlate with any parameter. From these results, it was assumed EVLW was the good parameter for early diagnosis and management of pulmonary complication after surgery for esophageal cancer.