Bilateral Shoulder Dysfunction Related to the Lung Resection Area After Thoracotomy

This study aimed to investigate the mobility, pain, and disability of the shoulders after different pulmonary surgical procedures.It is a cross-sectional prospective study. A total of 38 patients who underwent lung surgery via thoracotomy (mean age=5710 years) were evaluated in the preoperative period, and first and second postoperative days were assessed for range of motion of shoulder; pain intensity; and application of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index questionnaire. This study compared the 3 days of evaluation, and the subgroups according to the resection area (biopsy/nodulectomy, lung segmentectomy and lobectomy).There was a decrease of flexion (153 degrees +/- 16 degrees-98 degrees +/- 23 degrees), abduction (151 degrees +/- 20 degrees-126 degrees +/- 38 degrees), and increased Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (2.4-44.3) in the shoulder ipsilateral to surgery from the preoperative to the first postoperative day (P<0.05). There was a greater loss of ipsilateral flexion and abduction in the lobectomy subgroup (P<0.05), and decreased abduction of the contralateral shoulder in the lung segmentectomy and lobectomy subgroups (P<0.05).After pulmonary surgery, there is bilateral impairment in shoulder range of motion, with greater limitation on ipsilateral shoulder, and larger resections.