Postoperative hypoxaemia: oesophagectomy with gastric replacement

Pre- and postoperative arterial blood samples were analysed for oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) and carbon dioxide partial pressure (PaCO2) in a consecutive series of 21 patients subjected to two- or three-stage oesophagectomy for carcinoma of the oesophagus. The forced vital capacity (FVC) was measured at the same time. On the second postoperative day the PaO2 showed a fall to 65 per cent of the preoperative value followed by a gradual recovery to 78 per cent on the tenth postoperative day. After 13 weeks the PaO2 had recovered to 95 per cent of the preoperative value. The PaCO2 decreased in the early postoperative period but had returned to the preoperative level by the tenth day. The FVC showed a trend similar to the PaO2 with a reduction to 33 per cent of the preoperative value on the second postoperative day, 52 per cent on the tenth day and 85 per cent after 13 weeks.