Results of combined pulmonary resection and cardiac operation

Concomitant lesions of the heart and lung are uncommon, but when present they pose a therapeutic challenge for thoracic surgeons. A combined procedure avoids the need for a second major thoracic procedure and may improve outcomes and provide economic benefit. However, cardiopulmonary bypass may adversely affect the natural history of pulmonary malignancies.

The clinical records of 30 patients were reviewed who underwent simultaneous lung resection and cardiac operations between January 1982 and July 1995. Follow-up was obtained on all 30 patients (mean follow-up, 22 months; range, 1 to 100 months).

Twenty-four patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in conjunction with pulmonary resection. Six patients underwent aortic (n = 4) or mitral (n = 2) valve replacement. The pulmonary resections consisted of pneumonectomy (n = 3), lobectomy (n = 14), wedge excision (n = 12), and tracheal resection (n = 1). Twenty-one patients had pathologic findings that confirmed adenocarcinoma (n = 10), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 5), small cell carcinoma (n = 2), or other malignancy (n = 4). Tumor stage of primary lung cancers was stage I, n = 12; stage II, n = 3; and stage IIIa, n = 2. Pathologic examination revealed benign disease in 9 patients. There were two operative deaths, one due to aspiration and one due to stroke. There were three late deaths, two cardiac and one of metastatic disease. Overall late survival was 85% +/- 7% and 73% +/- 16% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Actuarial survival for patients with malignant disease was 64% at 5 years.

Simultaneous cardiac operation and lung resection was not associated with increased early or late morbidity or mortality. Cardiopulmonary bypass does not adversely affect survival in patients with malignant disease. Cardiac valve replacement can be performed safely in conjunction with pulmonary resection.