[Radiological lung changes after thoracoabdominal surgery in the lateral decubitus position (author's transl)]

Radiological changes that may occur in the depenent lung when surgery is performed in the lateral position are generally of a transient nature; they disappear when the position of the patient is changed after the operation, but may, in some cases, be demonstrable post-operatively as atelectatic areas. From the second post-operative day onwards, and reaching a peak on the 5th post-operative day, there is an increased incidence of ventilatory disturbances and infiltrations. The course and distribution of these pulmonary disturbances point to post-operative immobilization in the recumbent position as the main causal factor.