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. 2014 Jun 11;11(9):863–869. doi: 10.7150/ijms.8912

Table 3.

Complications of Patients after VATS Lobectomy

Complication Grade N %
Grade I 19 4.2
Pulmonary 8 1.8
Pneumothorax (cured without intervention) 8 1.8
Other 11 2.4
Urine tract infection (only need to remove urine tube) 8 1.8
Delirium 3 0.7
Grade II 276 61.2
Pulmonary 120 26.6
Prolonged air leak 68 15.1
Pneumonia 22 4.9
Atelectasis 14 3.1
Chylothorax (≤200ml/24h, need fat free diet) 8 1.8
Subcutaneous emphysema (modification of chest tube position) 8 1.8
Other 156 34.6
Arrhythmia (AF, PVC etc.) 85 18.8
Hypertension (need intravenously drip antihypertensive drugs) 27 6.0
Anemia (need transfusion) 23 5.1
Coagulation disorders 7 1.6
Peptic ulcer 5 1.1
Urine tract infection 4 0.9
Abdominal pain 3 0.7
Delirium (need sedative) 2 0.4
Grade IIIa 99 22.0
Pulmonary 93 20.6
Atelectasis (need sputum suction) 42 9.3
Pleural effusion (need thoracentesis) 43 9.5
Subcutaneous emphysema (need chest tube reinsertion) 4 0.9
Chylothorax (need fasting and TPN) 4 0.9
Other 6 1.3
Heart failure 6 1.3
Grade IIIb 13 2.9
Pulmonary 13 2.9
Pleural bleeding 4 0.9
Lung torsion 2 0.4
Bronchopleural fistula 5 1.1
Chylothorax (need operation) 2 0.4
Other 0 0.0
Grade IVa 37 8.2
Pulmonary 29 6.4
ARDS 12 2.7
Severe pneumonia 7 1.6
Pulmonary embolism 10 2.2
Other 8 1.8
Cerebrovascular events 3 0.7
Heart failure (need ICU management) 5 1.1
Grade IVb 2 0.4
Pulmonary 2 0.4
ARDS combined with heart failure 2 0.4
Other 0 0.0
Grade V 5 1.1
Pulmonary 4 0.9
Pulmonary embolism 2 0.4
Severe pneumonia combined with ARDS 2 0.4
Other 1 0.2
Sepsis, septic shock, multiple organ failure 1 0.2
Total complications 451 100
Total patients with complications 316 17.9

AF = atrial fibrillation, PVC = premature ventricular contraction, TPN = Total Parenteral Nutrition, ARDS = Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, ICU = intensive care unit.