Thoracic Complications of Urologic Laparoscopy: Correlation between Radiographic Findings and Clinical Manifestations

Background and Purpose: The usefulness of plain film chest radiography (CXR) in evaluation for thoracic complications after laparoscopic urologic procedures is uncertain. Our objectives were to examine the association between radiographic findings and clinical manifestations of thoracic complications after laparoscopic urologic procedures and to determine the prevalence of postoperative CXR at our institution. Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 195 patients who underwent laparoscopic renal/adrenal urologic procedures at our institution from 1998 to 2005. Chi-square analysis was used to compare the rate of radiographic abnormalities and thoracic complications between different types of laparoscopic procedures. Results: A total of 96 patients (96/195, 49%) had postoperative CXR, and abnormalities were noted in 75 (75/96, 78%). The abnormalities seen on CXR included atelectasis, pleural effusions, pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, and pneumonia. Retroperitonea...