Abstract
In 255 cases of gastric, 198 of lung, 27 of esophageal cancer, and 23 of esophageal varices (a total of 503 cases), the occurrence of postoperative respiratory complication especially atelectasis has been investigated by operative procedures.
Atelectasis was most frequently occurrd in elderly (over 70 years) patients with gastric and lung cancers who often developed preoperative respiratory complications, too. No significant difference between the atelectasis group and non-atelectasis group was found by diseases. When viewed by operative procedures, atelectasis was more frequently observed in lung cancer patients undergone lobectomy (upper lobe), in gastric cancer patients done total gastrectomy, and in the most patients operated on for esophageal cancer. The complications were commonly located at the upper and/or middle lobes on the open chest side in lung cancer, and at the left lower lobe in total gastrectomy and esophageal cancer patients. Most of atelectasis episodes developed on the 3rd day after operation in gastric, from the 1st to 2nd day in lung, on the 3rd day in esophageal cancers, and until the 3rd day as a whole.
For a good management of postoperative atelectasis in the aged patients, we should pay careful attention for a difference of operative procedures of thoracolaparotomy during surgery, and after surgery endoscopical aspiration of sputum and alleviation of pain are needed in appropriate timing, thinking over the time after the onset of the complication developed and location of the lesion.
