Key result
Basic preoperative pulmonary evaluation sufficiently modifies postoperative risk for patients without underlying lung disease.
Why the study?
Preoperative pulmonary evaluation and preparation strategies are needed to identify and modify risk of postoperative pulmonary complications, especially in patients with underlying lung disease.
Preoperative pulmonary evaluation involving history, physical examination, and incentive spirometry is sufficient for most patients without underlying lung disease.
May support simplified preoperative assessment in patients without lung disease; leaves open prospective validation before practice change.
Preoperative pulmonary evaluation and preparation involve first identifying patients at risk for complications and then attempting to modify that risk. For most patients without underlying lung disease, a thorough history and physical examination and preoperative instruction in the use of incentive spirometry is sufficient. In patients with known or suspected lung disease, preoperative pulmonary function tests, while unproven as prognostic tools, may reduce risk by aiding in medical management, and in the case of the lung resection candidate, by helping determine very directly his or her viability for the procedure.
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Ramona L. Doyle (1999) conducted a review in Postoperative pulmonary complications. Preoperative pulmonary evaluation and preparation was evaluated. Preoperative pulmonary evaluation, including history, physical examination, and incentive spirometry, is generally sufficient for most patients without underlying lung disease to modify postoperative risk.
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