To evaluate the effect of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery.

Methods:

Forty patients who were undergone CABG in our department were enrolled, 20 patients with chromic obstructive pulmonary disease (Group 1) and 20 patients without pulmonary disease preoperatively as a control group (Group 2). Comparison of the groups was made with regard to postoperative reintubation, prolonged intubation (longer than 48 hours), atrial fibrillation, using of intraaortic balloon pump, mediastinitis, wound infection, pneumonia, steroid and bronchodilator use, elevation of diaphragm, ventricular fibrillation, trakeotomy, low cardiac output, length of intensive care unit and hospital stay. Results:

After operation, patients in Group 1 had a longer intensive care unit (5.90 ± 2.68 versus 2.3 ± 1.8, days p = 0.003) and hospital stay (15.85 ± 3.28 versus 7.97 ± 1.86 days, p = 0.003). More patients in Group 1 required prolonged intubation (4 versus 0, p = 0.106) and reintubation (4 versus 0, p = 0.106). More patients in group 1 had arrhythmias (5 versus 0, p=0.106), using intraaortic balloon pump (2 versus 0, p = 0.487), mediastinitis (1 versus 0, p = 0.487), pneumonia (2 versus 0, p = 0.487), tracheotomy (2 versus 0, p = 0.487), low cardiac output (4 versus 0, p = 0.106) steroid and bronchodilator use (4 versus 1, p = 0.342). Two patients in group 1 died, whereas no patient in Group 2 died (p = 0.487).

Conclusions:

Nowadays, as a result of improvements in open heart surgery and intensive care unit, coronary bypass surgery in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can be performed with acceptable mortality and morbidity.