Background and objective: It is not precisely defined which group of non-cardiac surgery patients should undergo transthoracic echocardiography in preoperative preparation. This study was prospectively performed to find out whether the routine use of echocardiography is justified in patients scheduled for lung resection, and to assess its role in cardiac risk evaluation.
Methods: Patients classified as ASA III who were identified as having minor or intermediate predictors of cardiac risk were included in the study. Based on this triage, 130 patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography.
Results: Intermediate index of increased perioperative cardiovascular risk was recorded in 36.2% and low index in 63.8% of patients. Preoperative anesthesiologic examination revealed some form of cardiac arrhythmia in 28.5%, symptoms of coronary disease in 25.4%; hypertension in 52.3%, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 16.9% of patients. Transthoracic echocardiography showed the ejection fraction of 60% in 86.9% and of 40%-49% in only one patient. Left ventricular contractility was preserved in 96.2% of patients. Diastolic relaxation was weakened in 42.3% of patients. Mild mitral insufficiency was found in 29.2%; aortic stenosis in 1.5%, mild aortic insufficiency in 2.3%, mild pulmonary hypertension in 70.8%, and severe pulmonary hypertension in only 1.5% of patients. Pulmonectomy was performed in 26.9%, lobectomy in 62.3% and segmental tumor resection in 10.8% of patients. Only 26.2% of patients had peri- and postoperative complications: tachyarrhythmia and atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular answer in 16.2%, hypotension 1.5%; hypertension in 2.3% and hypertension and arrhythmia in 1.5% of patients. Three (2.3%) patients died. None of our patients had Goldman's score higher than 25; according to Detsky index our patients belonged to 0-15 point group, class I, with the foreseen risk %.
Conclusions: Transthoracic echocardiography is not justified in the routine preoperative preparation of thoracosurgical patients classified as ASA III with clinically minor and intermediate indexes of increased cardiovascular risk. It should be done in selected patients, primarily those that have history data and clinical picture consistent with major indices of an increased cardiovascular risk.