Results

One hundred and six patients were initially assessed and performed a treadmill exercise test but 29 patients were then excluded from the study, 21 because they did not have surgery as the lung tumour was found to be inoperable on completion of investigations or the patient was considered medically unfit; three who had other surgery (plication of the diaphragm in two cases and pleurectomy in one); and five for whom no case records could be found. Thus 77 patients (46 men) were included for analysis, of whom 53 (69%) reattended for postoperative tests.

Table 1 shows the number of patients assessed preoperatively and postoperatively and the type of surgery performed (pneumonectomy, single or bi-lobectomy, wedge resection, or thoracotomy with no lung resection). The latter procedure was performed in 17 cases where the tumour was found to be inoperable, in two cases where no malignancy was found, and in one case where a mediastinal tumour was resected (20 in total). Of the 18 patients with tumours, 15 were central and three peripheral, and 16 had postoperative radiotherapy. Of the 13 who attended for a second test, eight had central tumours and eight received radiotherapy in the period between the two tests.

Most complications occurred in the pneumonectomy group (44%) while most deaths were in the lobectomy group. Of the four perioperative deaths, one was due to respiratory failure following pneumonectomy and three occurred following single lobectomy (two due to pulmonary embolism and one due to pneumonia).

Table 2 shows the clinical characteristics, including preoperative pulmonary function and exercise test results, for each surgical group. There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to age and weight. Spirometric indices and lung volumes were also similar. Patients about to undergo pneumonectomy had a slightly greater exercise capacity than the other groups studied, and a slightly greater Tlco than patients undergoing lobectomy, but the differences were not significant. There were no significant differences in perioperative complications or mortality between the four groups.

Tables 3-6 show pulmonary function tests and exercise test results preoperatively and postoperatively following pneumonectomy, lobectomy, wedge resection, and thoracotomy alone, respectively. In the pneumonectomy group (table 3) there was, as expected, a significant reduction in static lung volumes, as assessed by spirometric tests, with forced vital capacity (FVC) falling by 35%. Exercise ventilation was also reduced and overall exercise performance impaired (PV˙o ₂ reduced by 28%). Following lobectomy (table 4) there was a smaller but still significant reduction in lung volumes (FVC down 14%) but exercise performance was not impaired (PV˙o ₂ down only 10%). In the patients who underwent wedge resection (table 5) there was no significant change in spirometric indices or PV˙o ₂, while in the thoracotomy group (table 6) there was a significant reduction in FEV₁ of 11% but no significant change in FVC, TLC or PV˙o ₂.

Table 7 identifies the reason for stopping exercise in all patients in whom both preoperative and postoperative exercise tests were available. Three patients changed from cardiac to pulmonary limitation after pneumonectomy, but otherwise there was no major change in pattern.

Discussion

Exercise capacity as assessed by PV˙o ₂ was reduced by 28% after pneumonectomy. Previous studies have shown reductions of 16%,8 20%,7and 28%.6 Our patients did not appear to feel more uncomfortable with the exercise, as manifest by similar preoperative and postoperative Borg scores. The peak ventilation rates were lower postoperatively but the ventilatory reserves were similar. Peak heart rate and respiratory exchange ratios were lower, reflecting the lower work load achieved. These results would suggest a ventilatory rather than circulatory limitation to exercise, with patients stopping exercise when a similar relative level of ventilation was reached. Other studies have suggested reduced ventilatory reserve,6 reduced stroke volume index,10 and pulmonary hypertension14 as causes of impaired exercise tolerance after pneumonectomy.

Lobectomy caused reductions in lung volumes of 15–20% which is in keeping with previous studies,6 ,7 ,10 but exercise capacity was not impaired, whereas other studies have found small but significant reductions in PV˙o ₂ after lobectomy.7 ,8 Wedge resection produced no changes in static lung measurements or in exercise capacity.

After thoracotomy alone the only effect on spirometric indices was a small reduction in FEV₁, despite the fact that in 17 cases no resection was performed because of inoperable tumour. It is possible that tumour progression in the interval between the two tests could have produced some degree of airways obstruction and radiotherapy may produce initial swelling followed by fibrosis, with a corresponding decline in lung function. There was also a small and non-significant fall in exercise capacity (PV˙o ₂). This could be explained in part by two additional subjects performing submaximal tests, possibly related to general debility from tumour progression. Despite the limitations inherent in interpretation of data from such ill patients, we felt that it was important to include this group as no previous study has examined the effect on exercise capacity of simply opening and closing the chest, although one study has reported the effect on lung volumes.3 The group acts as a control and thoracotomy alone is almost the equivalent of the “sham” operation in animal studies.

Appropriate assessment of patients prior to surgery is very important. As well as a technically operable tumour, the patient should be considered fit to tolerate thoracotomy and lung resection. Many studies have suggested that exercise testing with measurement of PV˙o ₂ is a useful predictor of postoperative outcome,5 ,15-19 although this is not a universal finding.20 ,21 Patients with PV˙o ₂ less than 15–20 ml/min/kg have been found to be more likely to have postoperative complications.8 ,22 The responses to a submaximal exercise load may also give useful prognostic information.23 In the present study complications were highest in patients who had a pneumonectomy, in agreement with the findings of previous studies,24-26 but there were more postoperative deaths in patients who had a lobectomy which may reflect more careful selection of fitter patients for pneumonectomy with a higher initial PV˙o ₂.

In conclusion, only patients who have had a pneumonectomy have reduced exercise tolerance, with a reduction in PV˙o ₂ of around 28%. There is no significant impairment of exercise capacity following lobectomy, wedge resection, and thoracotomy with no resection, although small changes in static pulmonary function may occur.