title: Postoperative pulmonary morbidity.
abstract: Postoperative pulmonary complications, the most common of which are atelectasis and pneumonia, are due largely to the pathophysiological effects on the lungs of anaesthesia and surgery as well as pre-existing disease, in particular chronic obstructive airways disease (COAD). Pre-operative assessment, including pulmonary function tests, will allow the prediction of the risk of pulmonary complications. Active measures can then be introduced to reduce these complications.
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects; D008170:Lung Compliance; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D012306:Risk; D014109:Total Lung Capacity