Elective pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer: Factors affecting early operative mortality and morbidity

WOS: 000242091700015PubMed: 17168268Background : The aim of this study was to investigate the factors influencing the morbidity and mortality of the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases where pneumonectomy was performed. Material & methods: All 101 patients who had underwent a pneumonectomy for NSCLC between 1994-2001 in our hospital were included in the retrospective study. There were 97 males and 4 females with a mean age of 56 +/- 9.6. Factors affecting morbidity and mortality were analysed by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: The morbidity rate was 53% and the mortality rate was 9%. Morbidity was related to cardiopulmonary complications in 40% of the cases. The risk factors for cardiopulmonary morbidity with univariate analysis were age >60 years (p = 0.004), FEV1 4 cm (p = 0.033), vital capacity ) (p = 0.012) and tumour size > 4 ern (p = 0.043). The risk factors mortality with univariate analysis were right pneumonectomy (p = 0.025), respiratory morbidity (p = 0.0001), cardiac morbidity (p = 0.002), cell type (Epidermoid CA) (0.047), tumour size > 6 cm (p = 0.036), fluid infusion (p = 0.009), forced vital capacity 42 mmHg (p = 0.023). Conclusion : Among the pneumonectomies performed for NSCLC, the causes of postoperative morbidity were multifactorial, however, multivariate analysis did not show any significant factor affecting the mortality, related to this procedure