Abstract
A five-year follow-up study of respiratory function in patients with mediastinal irradiation following mastectomy for carcinoma of the breast revealed the following:
Physiological dead space diminishes progressively, reaching a maximum decline at 12 months following irradiation. Partial recovery occurs thereafter with a levelling out at about 62% of the pre-radiation level.
Pulmonary diffusing capacity also declines rapidly but recovery begins after 18 months and improves to within normal limits by the fifth year of the follow-up.
The residual volume immediately increases at the end of irradiation therapy but rapidly and permanently returns to normal.
Some increase in alveolar ventilation is apparent throughout and continues for at least four years, presumably as a result of the permanently reduced dead space.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- BERGMANN M., GRAHAM E. A. Pneumonectomy for severe irradiation damage of the lung. J Thorac Surg. 1951 Dec;22(6):549–567. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CUDKOWICZ L., ARMSTRONG J. B. Observations on the normal anatomy of the bronchial arteries. Thorax. 1951 Dec;6(4):343–358. doi: 10.1136/thx.6.4.343. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]