Post-operative complications in pulmonary resections

Eighty consecutive patients undergoing pulmonary resection at the University College Hospital, Ibadan were studied to determine the factors predictive of postoperative morbidity and mortality. The operative mortality was 10% while complications occurred in 66% of the patients. Complications were significantly more frequent (p less than 0.01) in those with benign disease (73%) than with malignant conditions (31%). Benign disease and pneumonectomy were predictors of wound infection (p less than 0.05 & p less than 0.02 respectively); haemoptysis and pneumonectomy, predictors of bronchopleural fistula (p less than 0.02 and p less than 0.05 respectively); benign disease predictor of empyema (p less than 0.02); and age over 50 years predictor of mortality (p less than 0.01). It is concluded that improved care of patients with these predictive factors would result in reduction of morbidity and mortality.