Table 2 Definition of postoperative pulmonary complications
Complication | Definition |
|---|---|
Respiratory infection | When a patient received antibiotics for a suspected respiratory infection and met at least one of the following criteria: new or changed sputum, new or changed lung opacity, fever, leukocyte count > 12,000/μ |
Respiratory failure | When postoperative PaO2 < 60 mmHg on room air, ratio of PaO2 to inspired oxygen fraction < 300 or arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation measured with pulse oximetry < 90% and requiring oxygen therapy |
Pleural effusion | Chest X-ray demonstrating blunting of the costophrenic angle, loss of the sharp silhouette of the ipsilateral hemidiaphragm in upright position, evidence of displacement of adjacent anatomical structures, or (in supine position) a hazy opacity on one hemithorax with preserved vascular shadows |
Atelectasis | Lung opacification with a shift of the mediastinum, hilum, or hemidiaphragm toward the affected area, and compensatory overinflation in the adjacent nonatelectatic lung |
Pneumothorax | Air in the pleural space with no vascular bed surrounding the visceral pleura |
Bronchospasm | Newly detected expiratory wheezing treated with bronchodilators |
Aspiration pneumonitis | Acute lung injury after the inhalation of regurgitated gastric contents |