Abstract
Introduction: The most common and major pulmonary complications after thoracic surgery is atelectasis. Chest radiography is the gold standard for diagnosis of postoperative atelectasis that we are faced with restrictions (e.g. pain due positioning, high levels of radiation exposure, ...). Thus, this study was aimed to compare chest radiography (as gold standard) and predictor variables such as temperature, O2 saturation, pulse rate, lung sounds, respiratory rate, respiratory rhythm, in assessing postoperative atelectasis in patients undergoing thoracic surgery, admited in selected hospital in Khoramabad Iran.
Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study 40 patients were selected with purposeful sampling. Chest X-ray was performed before and 48 hours after (Portable) surgery and the predictor variables were assessed too. Contingency coefficient test was used to investigate the relationship between predictor variables and results of chest radiography.
Result: Based on chest X-ray results, 47.5 percent of patients were developed atelectasis. Of all predictor factors only lung sounds had the significant association with occurrence of postoperative atelectasis (value 0.652, p<0.001).
Conclusion: According to the easy and safe use of lung sounds auscultation, it is recommended that nurses and doctors can evaluate patients at risk of postoperative atelectasis with this technique and don't waiting for result of chest radiography.
- © 2011 ERS
