title: Postoperative pulmonary complications after gynecologic surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Investigate the frequency of, and risks for postoperative pulmonary complications after surgery for non-malignant gynecologic disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective component included medical record data for one year. A prospective component enrolled 300 patients consecutively who were scheduled for gynecologic surgeries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative pulmonary complications occurred in 1.22% of 328 open abdominal procedures in the retrospective study, and 2.16% of 232 in the prospective study. Pooling the data yielded a frequency estimate of 1.61%. Mean hospital length of stay (pooled data) increased 1.75 days in those with postoperative pulmonary complications. Smoking was the only significant risk factor (relative risk=3.9 using pooled data).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postoperative pulmonary complications after surgery for non-malignant gynecologic disorders are infrequent but increase hospital length of stay. Smokers are at increased risk.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pappachen
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bader
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khoury
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007902:Length of Stay; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects