Identification and evaluation of high-risk patients for thoracic surgery

The main goal of the preoperative evaluation was to identify the risk factors of the surgery, anesthesia and those of the postoperative stage. Altogether, 120 thoracic operations were performed in the period of 22 months. This article restricts itself to the presentation of 20 patients who got lung cancer and had specific concomitant diseases: COPD (4 cases), coronary disease (3 cases), heart disease (7 cases), diabetes (5 cases) and four patients previously underwent a neck operation. 16 patients belonged to ASA class II and 4 to ASA class III. They were all scheduled for lung resection. Temporary pacing was used in two cases to prevent possible cardiac complications. One cardiorespiratory compromised patient got dysrhythmias during and after anesthesia. Respiratory complications after surgery occurred in five cases. Thoracic epidural catheter was indwelled and stayed in place 4 to 6 days after surgery.