The Clinical Study of The Electrocardiograms on the Pulmonary Surgery (6) : RELATIONS OF PLEURAL LESION AND LUNG CAPACITY TO CHANGES IN ECGs DURING ONE YEAR AFTER PULMONARY RESECTION

Abstract

In this report the relations of postoperative changes in ECGs to adhesion and thickening of the surgically-attacked pleura, and to decrease of lung capacity were investigated periodically.METHODS Electrocardiographic examinations were done in the manner described in Report V. Postoperative pleural lesion was examined through X-ray pictures. Non-existence and very mild forms of pleural adhesion and thickening were taken as negative findings, while moderate and advanced forms as positive findings. Calculation of lung capacity was based on Ebina's vital capacity index, and decrease within (-) 50% of the standard vital capacity was regarded as negative, and that over (-) 50% as positive. The cases who were negative on the above-mentioned two points were recorded as having Pathologic Item (-); those who were positive on either of the two as having Pathologic Item (+₁); and those who were positive on the both points as having Pathologic Item (+₂).RETSULS AND CONCLUSIONS(1) Cases who preoperatively gave normal ECGs in a rest perisod and after exercise.i) In most cases of segmental resection rapid normalization of ECGs occurred together with improvement of pleural lesion and lung capacity in the 6th postoperative month.ii) In cases of lobar resection ECGs showed gradual improvement parallel to that of pleural lesion and lung capacity 6 months after operation.iii) In cases of total resection no significant improvement was noted in ECGs and clinical symptoms. Also with ECGs taken after exercise the same relationship was demonstrated to exist between ECGs and clinical symptoms.(2) The cases who before operation were electrocardiographically normal in a rest period, but not after exercise, and those who were abnormal in a rest period as well as after exercise continued to show the same electrocardiographic abnormalities even 6 months after operation in spite of improvement of pleural lesion and lung capacity. That is, in these cases no parallel relationship was established between improvement of clinical symptoms and that of ECGs. In a few cases of segmental resection, however, the parallel relationship was noted.