The Value of Preoperative Pulmonary Function Testing

Abstract

Chronic pulmonary disease is a major medical problem. Because of the insidious nature of the disease in its early stages, it frequently goes undetected unless physiologic means are used for diagnosis. It has been well-established that patients who have underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are at risk following surgical procedures. It has also been established that pre-operative and postoperative care may reduce the surgical morbidity and mortality in these patients. Since pulmonary function testing remains a major method of diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, this procedure should be used in all preoperative patients in whom obstructive pulmonary disease is suspected or who are over 35 years of age.