Postoperative pulmonary complications have a significant impact on perioperative morbidity and mortality and contribute substantially to health care costs. Surgical stress and anesthesia lead to changes in respiratory physiology, altering lung volumes, respiratory drive, and muscle function that can cumulatively increase the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. Preoperative medical evaluation requires a structured approach to identify patient-, procedure-, and anesthesia-related risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications. Validated risk prediction models can be used for risk stratification and to help tailor the preoperative investigation. Optimization of pulmonary comorbidities, smoking cessation, and correction of anemia are risk-mitigation strategies. Lung-protective ventilation, moderate PEEP application, and conservative use of neuromuscular blocking drugs are intra-operative preventive strategies. Postoperative early mobilization, chest physiotherapy, oral care, and appropriate analgesia speed up recovery. High-risk patients should receive inspiratory muscle training prior to surgery, and there should be a focus to minimize surgery time.
Keywords: postoperative pulmonary complications; preoperative risk assessment; respiratory failure; surgery.
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