Early Complications following Anatomic Lung Resections--experience of a Thoracic Surgical Oncology Unit.

AIM To analyze the medical and socioeconomic impact of the complications of anatomic lung resections performed at the Thoracic Surgery Unit of the Iasi Regional Cancer Institute. METHODS This retrospective study included patients who underwent anatomic lung resections between January 2013 and August 2015. RESULTS Over this interval a total of 172 major lung resections were performed: 31 (18.02%) pneumonectomies, 5 (2.91%) bilobectomies, and 136 (79.06%) lobectomies. Complications occurred in 36 patients, including bronchial stump fistula in 7 patients (4.06%), bronchopneumonia (9/5.23%), pleural empyema without bronchoscopically documented bronchial stump fistula (1/0.58%), chylothorax (1/0.58%), postoperative arrhythmia (3/1.74%), early postoperative stroke (1/0.58%), prolonged air leak (requiring hospital stay longer than 14 days) (11/6.38%), and postoperative hemothorax requiring reintervention (3/1.74%). Secondary to complications, a number of 3 (1.74%) patients died early postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of immediate and early postoperative complications is comparable to those reported by other authors.