Postoperative pulmonary complications. The role of the anesthetist

Abstract

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) represent the second cause of postsurgical morbidity after surgical wound infection. The incidence of PPC is between 2 and 5.6% of the interventions and can reach 30-40% if we talk about abdominal and thoracic surgery, compared to 2% of cardiac complications. 1 in 5 patients with postoperative pulmonary events will die within 30 days. Reintubation from the third postoperative day is associated with a 72% increase in mortality. Therefore, we are faced with an important entity, which produces an increase in mortality at 30 days and an increase in hospital stay with the consequent associated health expenditure. In the study carried out in our resuscitation, it was observed that the need for mechanical ventilation in the postoperative period was the main risk factor for mortality in elderly patients.