title: Respiratory complications following cardiac surgery. The role of microbiology in its evaluation.
abstract: Sputum specimens were received for microbiological examination from 110 patients following open heart surgery. The isolation of Haemophilus influenzae occurred significantly more often in those patients who had pre-existing chest disease, but was not associated with postoperative chest problems. There was a significant association between pre-operative heart failure and subsequent severe pulmonary complications.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*