An evaluation of preoperative methods of preventing postoperative pulmonary complications

The effectiveness of three current regimes of preoperative respiratory care in reducing postoperative respiratory complications following herniorrhaphy was studied prospectively. No smoking for five days plus intensive physiotherapy, five days no smoking, and routine hospital admission two days preoperatively were the regimes. Clinical, bacteriological, chest X-ray, blood gas and respiratory function test data were the criteria for assessment. The same surgical and anaesthetic team performed each operation. No statistical difference between the groups for pulmonary complications was noted. A significant correlation was found between the preoperative vital capacity and arterial pO2; also between the preoperative forced expiratory volume in one second-vital capacity ratio with the postoperative arterial pO2.