TY - JOUR T1 - Role of the pulmonologist in a thoracic surgery department JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.PA3407 VL - 58 IS - suppl 65 SP - PA3407 AU - Carla Suarez AU - Nuria Toledo Pons AU - Juan Antonio Torrecilla Medina AU - Valerio Perna Perna AU - Orlando Gigirey Castro AU - Elisabet Arango Tomas AU - Angel Francisco Carvajal Carrasco AU - Ernest Sala Llinas Y1 - 2021/09/05 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA3407.abstract N2 - Introduction: The increasing complexity of surgical patients has developed co-management strategies between medical and surgical departments with remarkable results. These strategies have been described through two modalities: shared care (SC) and interconsultations (ICs).Objectives: To describe the collaborative programme (co-management strategy [CMS]) between the Respiratory department (RD) and the Thoracic Surgery department (TSD) at a tertiary hospital in Mallorca.Material and methods: The CMS was based on the assignment of a pulmonologist (PU) to the TSD. The PU took part in the daily TSD clinical sessions. SC was performed in patients selected because either they were admitted for a major surgery or they had a chronic respiratory disease, and the ICs were performed to the admitted patients with medical complications.Results: The CMS was applied in 94 out of the 173 patients admitted in TSD throughout the evaluation period (14 weeks). The mean age was 61 ± 16 (mean ± SD) years (85.7% male). COPD was the most frequent comorbidity (21.8%). SC was performed in 56 patients (59.7%) whereas ICs just in 38. The median hospital stay of these patients was 7 (4–11) days. The most frequent complications were nosocomial infections (23%) and acute respiratory failure (ARF) (21.3%). ICs were carried out mainly because of respiratory infections (13%) and ARF (15.7%). On average, the PU performed 4 ± 7 visits per patient. Intrahospital mortality rate was 4%.Conclusions: In a TSD, the role of a PU can contribute to the evaluation and follow-up of the most complex patients, helping thoracic surgeons to focus primarily on their surgical activity rather than in the management of medical complications.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA3407.This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only). ER -