• E Ruffini, A Parola, E Papalia, P L Filosso, M Mancuso, A Oliaro, G Actis-Dato, and G Maggi.
• Division of Thoracic Surgery, University of Torino, 3 Via Genova, 10126 Torino, Italy. enrico.ruffini@unito.it
• Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2001 Jul 1;20(1):30-6, discussion 36-7.

ObjectiveWe reviewed the frequency and mortality of acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in our population of patients submitted to pulmonary resection for primary bronchogenic carcinoma.MethodsFrom January 1993 to December 1999, a total of 1221 patients received pulmonary resection for primary bronchogenic carcinoma. Of these, 27 met the criteria of post-operative ALI/ARDS. There were 24 men and three women with a mean age of 64 years (range 45--79). Pre-operatively, predicted mean of PaO(2), PaCO(2) and %FEV1 were 72 mmHg (57--86), 37 mmHg (33--42) and 80% (37--114), respectively. Associated cardiac risk factors were present in eight patients. Three patients (11%) had pre-operative radiotherapy. Surgical-pathologic staging included 14 patients at Stage I, 8 patients at Stage II, four patients at Stage IIIa and one patient at Stage IIIb.ResultsALI/ARDS occurred in 2.2% of our operated lung cancer patients. ALI was diagnosed in 10 patients and ARDS in 17 patients. The mean time of presentation following surgery was 4 days (range 1--10) and 6 days (1--13) for ALI and ARDS, respectively. According to the type of operation, the frequency was highest following right pneumonectomy (4.5%), followed by sublobar resection (3.2%), left pneumonectomy (3%), bilobectomy (2.4%), and lobectomy (2%). The frequency following extended operations was 4%. No differences were found between the ALI/ARDS group and the total population of resected lung cancer patients (control group) with respect to sex, mean age, pre-operative blood gases, %FEV1, surgical--pathologic staging and the use of pre-operative radiotherapy. Four patients with ALI (40%) and 10 patients with ARDS (59%) died. Mortality was highest following right pneumonectomy, extended operations and sublobar resections. Hospital mortality of the total population of operated lung cancer patients in the same period was 2.8% (34 patients). ALI/ARDS accounted for 41% of our hospital mortality.Conclusions(1) ALI/ARDS is a severe complication following resection for primary bronchogenic carcinoma. (2) We did not detect any significant difference between the ALI/ARDS group and the control group regarding age, pre-operative lung function, staging and pre-operative radiotherapy. (3) ALI/ARDS is associated with high mortality, the highest mortality rates having been observed following right pneumonectomy and extended operation; it currently represents our leading cause of death following pulmonary resection for lung carcinoma. (4) ALI/ARDS may also occur after sublobar resections with an associated high mortality rate.

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