[Radiological aspects of acute respiratory insufficiency after heart valve prosthesis]

Analysis of the x-ray findings in 156 patients with acute respiratory insufficiency (ART) in the immediate periods after implantation of heart valve prostheses has shown that various pulmonary complications, such as pulmonary edema (in 84% of cases), atelectasis, hypoventilation (5.1%), hemothorax (6.4%), pneumothorax (0.6%) were the prerequisites for the development of respiratory disorders. Pneumonias were not the primary cause of ART but an additional factor for the respiratory disorder progress, for they develop in the presence of previous pulmonary changes. The necessity and possibility of establishing the pathogenetic mechanism of pulmonary edema (cardiogenic or noncardiogenic one) is shown. The authors emphasize the desirability of regular x-ray examinations as a supplementary method in monitoring the patients with acute respiratory insufficiency.