Pulmonary Resection in Basrah: Personal Experience

Abstract

Pulmonary resection is the operation that defines the thoracic surgeon. It represents the appropriate surgical treatment for many pulmonary lesions. This is the first study on pulmonary resection in Basrah, south of Iraq. The study is conducted in the Section of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Basrah Teaching Hospital over a 5-year period (August 1996 to July 2001. The aim of the study is to present the personal experience of the author in lung resection, analyze the indications, surgical and anaesthetic management and outcome including morbidity and mortality in view of the literature. Thirty patients (17 males and 13 females) underwent pulmonary resection for different indications were retrospectively analyzed. The results of this study indicate that despite the small number of patients and the difficulties in anaesthetic management, pulmonary resection is practiced safely in Basrah, south of Iraq.