Feasibility of aspirin continuation during the perioperative period for pulmonary resection in lung cancer patients: a retrospective study at a single institute in Japan.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility of aspirin continuation during the perioperative period for pulmonary resection in lung cancer patients.


METHODS
A retrospective study was conducted in 46 patients who were taking aspirin and underwent pulmonary resection. The indications for aspirin were generally a cardiovascular or cerebrovascular comorbidity. Whether to continue or discontinue aspirin was determined based on the severity of the cardiovascular or cerebrovascular comorbidity, along with the patient's overall condition. The intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were compared between patients continuing and those discontinuing aspirin.


RESULTS
Twenty patients continued (group C) and 26 patients discontinued (group D) aspirin. The length of the operation (226 ± 97 min in group C vs. 189 ± 90 min in group D), intraoperative bleeding (234 ± 232 vs. 204 ± 367 g) and average pleural discharge on postoperative days 1, 2 and 3 (331, 230 and 215 vs. 304, 210 and 174 ml/day) showed no significant differences between the two groups. The postoperative complication rates were also not significantly different between the two groups [eight patients (40%) in group C vs. nine patients (35%) in group D].


CONCLUSIONS
Continuous administration of aspirin during the perioperative period for pulmonary resection in lung cancer patients appears to be clinically feasible in the Japanese population.
Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, L5-2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan, rkanzaki@tj8.so-net.ne.jp.
Ryu
R
Kanzaki
Masayoshi
M
Inoue
Masato
M
Minami
Yasushi
Y
Shintani
Tomoyuki
T
Nakagiri
Soichiro
S
Funaki
Noriyoshi
N
Sawabata
Meinoshin
M
Okumura
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059035:Perioperative Period; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin