Introduction: The risk stratification of lung resection is fundamentally based on the results of pulmonary function tests. In patients considered to be at risk, major surgery is generally denied, opting for potentially less curative therapies.
Objective: To evaluate the postoperative outcomes of major lung surgery in a group of patients deemed high risk.
Methods: We performed a retrospective review of clinical records of all patients submitted to lobectomy, bilobectomy or pneumonectomy in a 3-year period in a reference Thoracic Surgery Unit. The patients were then divided in two groups: group A composed of patients with normal preoperative pulmonary function and group B which included patients with impaired lung function, defined as FEV1 and/or DLCO ≤60%.
Results: A total of 234 patients were included, 181 (77.4%) in group A and 53 (22.6%) in group B. In group B, patients had more smoking habits, were more often associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and were also more frequently submitted to thoracotomy. When surgery was motivated by primary lung cancer this group had a more advanced clinical stage of the disease. In the postoperative period, these patients had longer hospital stay, longer chest drainage time and greater need for oxygen therapy at home, however, no statistically significant difference was noted in morbidity or mortality.
Conclusions: Major thoracic surgery can be safely performed in selected patients considered to be high risk for resection by pulmonary function tests. A potentially curative surgery should not be denied based on respiratory function tests alone.