Postoperative study of vital capacity and ventilation measurements following elective craniotomy.
OBJECTIVE
Changes in pulmonary function commonly occur after general surgery. The aims were to evaluate vital capacity, tidal volume and respiratory frequency among patients undergoing elective craniotomy and to determine possible correlations of these parameters with surgery duration and etiology for neurosurgery.


METHODS
Prospective, open study at a tertiary university hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-six patients underwent elective craniotomy for aneurysm clipping (11) or tumor resection (15). Vital capacity (VC), tidal volume (TV), minute volume (VE) and respiratory rate were determined before the operation and on the first to fourth postoperative days.


RESULTS
There were significant decreases of 25% in VC, 22% in TV and 12% in VE (p < 0.05) and no significant increase in respiratory frequency (5%) on the first postoperative day. VE returned to baseline on the second postoperative day and TV on the third postoperative day, while VC was 8% lower on the fourth postoperative day, compared with before the operation (p < 0.05). VC reduction was significantly greater in patients undergoing aneurysm clipping (43%) than in patients undergoing tumor resection (14%) when surgery duration was more than four hours (p < 0.05), with no significant change when surgery duration was less than four hours.


CONCLUSIONS
Reductions in VC, TV and VE were observed during the postoperative period in patients undergoing aneurysm clipping or tumor resection. The reductions in VC and TV were greater in patients undergoing craniotomy due to aneurysm and with longer surgery duration.
Sogame
Luciana Carrupt Machado
LC
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil.
Faresin
Sonia Maria
SM
Vidotto
Milena Carlos
MC
Jardim
José Roberto
JR
D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D013990:Tidal Volume; D013997:Time Factors; D014797:Vital Capacity