[Applicability of the Torrington and Henderson scale].
OBJECTIVE
To validate the Torrington & Henderson preoperative risk assessment program in the population of surgical patients in an university hospital (Hospital São Paulo, UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brasil).


METHODS
We evaluated 1162 patients who underwent to major thoracic, upper and under abdominal surgery using the Torrington & Henderson program. The patients were classified in low (785), moderate (317) and high risk (60). All patients were accompanied daily during the postoperative period by the same medical team which assessed the preoperative period, until discharged or died.


RESULTS
The postoperative pulmonary complications were present in 6.1%, 23.3% and 35.0% in the low, moderate and high risk respectively. The relative risk to develop postoperative pulmonary complications was 3.8 higher in the patients with moderate risk and 5.7 higher in the patients with high risk. The mortality rate due to pulmonary complications was 1.7%, 6.3% and 11.7% respectively in the patients with low, moderate and high risk. The relative risk to the death was 3.7 higher in the patients with moderate risk and 6.9 in the high risk.


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that the Torrington & Henderson preoperative risk assessment program can identify in our population patients who will develop postoperative pulmonary complications.
Faresin
S M
SM
Disciplina de Pneumologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina-UNIFESP, São Paulo.
de Barros
J A
JA
Beppu
O S
OS
Peres
C de A
Cde A
Atallah
A N
AN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors