Pulmonary function after coronary artery bypass surgery

Abstract

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) adversely affects pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Although several previous studies have addressed these changes, none has measured the forced vital capacity (FVC) on a daily basis. The purpose of the present study was to assess serial changes in the FVC following CABG and to identify factors that may influence these changes. The FVC was obtained pre- and daily postoperatively (1-10 days) in 120 patients. Fifty-one patients received saphenous vein grafts (SVG group) while 69 received at least one internal mammary artery graft in addition to SVG (IMA group). On the first postoperative day, the FVC decreased to 33% of the pre-operative value in the SVG group and to 29% in the IMA group. The spirometry gradually improved, but after 10 days, the FVC remained reduced (SVG, 70%; IMA, 60%). Although the decreases in FVC tended to be greater in the IMA group, there was no significant difference in the two groups (P = 0.27). The changes in FVC were not significantly related to age (P = 0.48), smoking history (P = 0.65), anesthesia (P = 0.38) or pump time (0.09). From this study, it is concluded that after CABG, there is a significant worsening of the pulmonary function. The nadir of FVC occurs immediately after surgery and improves gradually thereafter. However, on the tenth postoperative day, the FVC still remains more than 30% below pre-operative values. Since there is only a slight tendency for patients undergoing IMA grafting to have larger decreases in their pulmonary function, patients with ventilatory impairment should not be excluded from IMA grafting.