Postoperative pulmonary morbidity

Postoperative pulmonary complications, the most common of which are atelectasis and pneumonia, are due largely to the pathophysiological effects on the lungs of anaesthesia and surgery as well as pre-existing disease, in particular chronic obstructive airways disease (COAD). Pre-operative assessment, including pulmonary function tests, will allow the prediction of the risk of pulmonary complications. Active measures can then be introduced to reduce these complications.