Mediastinal position and air-fluid height after pneumonectomy: the effect of the respiratory cycle. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1985 Dec;145(6):1173-6
Date
12/01/1985Pubmed ID
3877419DOI
10.2214/ajr.145.6.1173Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0022393888 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 19 CitationsAbstract
After pneumonectomy, a shift of the mediastinum toward the nonoperated side may be the initial indicator of a postoperative problem such as empyema, bronchopleural fistula, esophageal-pleural fistula, hemothorax, or recurrent tumor. Postoperatively, a drop in the fluid level on the operated side may indicate a bronchopleural fistula or other fistulous connection. To assess the effect of the respiratory cycle on these two signs, 16 patients were studied with inspiration-expiration films. In every case the mediastinum shifted toward the normal side in expiration, and in no case did a fluid level change position by more than 5 mm with respiratory maneuvers. Therefore, the respiratory phase must be considered when assessing the significance of mediastinal shift after pneumonectomy.
Author List
Wechsler RJ, Goodman LRMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAged
Bronchial Diseases
Empyema
Female
Fistula
Hemothorax
Humans
Lung
Male
Mediastinum
Middle Aged
Pleural Diseases
Pneumonectomy
Postoperative Complications
Radiography
Respiration
Time Factors
