Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included 57 lung cancer patients admitted to ICU who developed acute respiratory failure after pneumonectomy or lobectomy. Patients were divided as pneumonectomy (group 1; 19 males, 1 females; median age 65 years) and lobectomy (group 2; 36 males, 1 females; median age 62 years) groups. Pulmonary function test, invasive or noninvasive mechanical ventilation results, duration of ICU stay, and ICU mortality and long-term mortality were recorded. The groups were compared according to the recorded data.

Results: In group 1 and group 2, median preoperative forced expiratory volume in one second values were 1.58 L (predicted 61%) and 1.82 L (predicted 63%), respectively (p=0.82). Rates of patients with acute respiratory failure due to postoperative sepsis were similar in group 1 (65%) and group 2 (52.6%) (p=0.37). Group 1 and group 2 had similar median duration of ICU stay (9 and 8 days, respectively; p=0.76), ICU mortality (30.0% and 18.6%, respectively; p=0.34), and long term survival (n=6, 11 months; n=21, 5 months, respectively; p=0.79).

Conclusion: Lung cancer patients who were performed pneumonectomy or lobectomy might require ICU stay due to postoperative sepsis. Our study suggests that ICU mortality and long-term survival are not affected by the type of lung resection in these patients.