PATTERNS OF OXYGENATION AFTER THORACOTOMY

A study of oxygenation during thoracotomy.

UP TO THE BEGINNING Of the present century, operations within the thoracic cavity were greatly hampered by the "pneumothorax problem." When the chest was opened, the lung collapsed and the patient made vigorous efforts to breathe. The mediastinal structures moved violently and surgery was very diflficult. Hypoxia rapidly occurred and unless the chest was soon dosed, death occurred due to asphyx...

Pain control after thoracotomy.

Lung injury after thoracotomy.

Postoperative respiratory complications are the commonest problem after all types of thoracic surgery. The exact incidence depends on the type of surgery and the preoperative health and lung function of the patient, but rates of up to 50% are often quoted. 2 Most of these complications are diagnosed as either `pneumonia' or `postoperative atelectasis'. However, the role of microbiological patho...

Deep vein thrombosis after thoracotomy.

In a prospective study of 183 patients undergoing lateral thoracotomy the 125 I fibrinogen uptake test and perioperative heparin prophylaxis for deep-vein thrombosis were investigated. There was an incidence of deep vein thrombosis in 51% in untreated control patients. The heparin prophylaxis effectively reduced the incidence of deep venous thrombosis to 28% (P less than 0.005) without increasi...

Pain Relief Methods after Thoracotomy

Background: Thoracotomy is one of the surgical operations which causes severe pain. In fact, this pain is one of the most excruciating pains caused by surgical operations. Different procedures are performed to decrease this pain which is associated with significant physiologic, mental and pathologic complications. Each of these procedures has its own advantage and disadvantages. In many centers...