[Postoperative mortality and means of reducing it in patients with lung cancer]

The report discusses a 20 year-old experience with surgical treatment for lung cancer. In 1961-1980, the following surgical procedures were carried out in 1,100 cases of lung cancer: pneumonectomy--417 (38%), lobe- and bilobectomy--506 (46%), and exploratory thoracotomy--117 (16%). The range of indications for surgical treatment has been extended within the last 10 years; the percentage of surgical cases older than 60 years has grown from 17 to 35%, with patients older than 70 amounting to 12%. Risk of surgery for lung cancer has been reduced thanks to complex and pathogenetically-grounded therapy given before and immediately after operation as well as application of improved surgical and anesthesiologic support procedures. Among the most frequent death-causing post-operative complications were thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery, bronchial fistula, empyema of the chest and cardiopulmonary failure.