Risk factors for thoracic surgery

ABSTRACT

Thoracic anesthesia for non-cardiac surgery has become a subspecialty and has its own challenges of being proficient in new surgical techniques and equipment in the clinical practice. Risk factors for thoracic surgery numerous, and include generally poor health of the patient, obesity, smoking, alcohol abuse, tumors pressing airways or great vessels of chest and pneumonectomy. Intraoperatively requirements of lateral position, one lung anesthesia and expected hemorrhage are the main risk factors. Postoperatively, infection, hemorrhage, risk of pulmonary embolism, tension pneumothorax and blow out of stump may adversely affect the outcome. Good selection and preparation of patients for thoracic surgery is very important to avoid high morbidity and mortality. Main aim of a good thoracic anesthesia plan is to avoid hypoxia and cardiovascular morbidity in the perioperative period