Incidence and outcome of pulmonary complications after open cardiac surgery, Thowra Hospital, Cardiac center, Sana’a, Yemen

This prospective study was designed to determine the incidence of pulmonary complications after open cardiac surgery as well as to identity predisposing factors of these complications. The cumulative incidence of pulmonary complications was 15.08% with a mortality rate of 18.5% from patients who developed complications and overall mortality among all patients was 2.79%. Pulmonary complications occurred in 7.82% of patients with coronary artery revascularization, 2.23% in patients with valvular replacement and 5.05% in patients with congenital heart disease.ARDS occurred in 3.35% of patients with a mortality rate of about 66.6%, dehiscence sternum and mediastinitis occurred in 1.6% with mortality 33.3%, pneumonia in 2.79%, atelectasis in 3.35%, pleural effusion in 2.22% and pneumothorax in 0.55%. The most predisposing factors were massive blood transfusion, re-exploration for control of post-operative bleeding, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and prolonged length stay in the intensive care unit.