Operative Pulmonary Artery Pressure Measurements as a Guide to Postoperative Management and Prognosis following Pneumonectomy

SUMMARY Operative pulmonary artery pressure measurements have been obtained on 61 patients undergoing pneumonectomy. Correlations are made of these pressure measurements with postoperative survival and fatal complications. The average mean pulmonary artery pressure in all survivors was 22 mm.Hg and increased to 26 mm.Hg after occlusion. The average mean pulmonary artery pressure in patients developing fatal cardiorespiratory complications was 28 mm.Hg and after occlusion 32 mm.Hg. A simple technique is described to enable the surgeon to assess the status of the pulmonary circulation at the time of surgery. It is concluded that patients in whom mean pulmonary artery pressures are 25 mm.Hg or greater at surgery and in whom "abnormal" preoperative pulmonary function studies have been obtained should have the operative procedure modified or vigorous medical management instituted postoperatively.