Pulmonary function 3-13 months after pneumonectomy, lobectomy or bilobectomy for lung cancer

Pulmonary function was studied 3 and 12 months after pulmonary resection for lung cancer in 37 patients, ten of whom had undergone pneumonectomy, 17 lobectomy and eight bilobectomy. The resection was right-sided in 25 cases and left-sided in 12. Tumour site and diameter were registered, arterial blood gases measured and spirometry performed Three months after all types resection there was significant decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume/1 second (FEV1), but not in FEV1/FVC%. At 12 months pneumonectomy had reduced FVC to 58% of predicted values, FEV1 to 50% and FEV1/FVC% to 70%. After lobectomy the corresponding figures were 86%, 73% and 67% and after bilobectomy they were 88%, 78% and 70%. Between 3 and 12 months postoperatively, FVC increased in all groups, significantly in those with lobectomy or bilobectomy (p<0.01 and 0.05, respectively).