Complication of Pleural Effusion After Open Heart Surgery in Adults at Tertiary Cardiac Care Hospital

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of early pleural effusion after open heart surgery in a tertiary care cardiac center of Karachi. Methods: An observational case series was conducted at Cardiac surgical unit, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi from June 2016 to May 2017. Seventy patients who underwent open-heart surgery were reviewed and observe. The age of patient were up to70 years, with arterial blood gases and pulmonary function tests within normal limits, with a normal X-ray chest, with no other explanation for the pleural effusion. All patient underwent elective open heart surgery ( CABG, ASD, VSD, TOF, Valve repair and or replacement) and were observed for Pleural effusion in all those patients in the pleural cavity that become evident on x-ray chest. Result: Out of 70 patients. 55 (78.57%) were male. Mean age was 53+8.87 years comprising ranged between 47 to 69 years. Mean weight was 67±8.0 kilograms, and mean height was 162 ± 7.32 centimeters. An early Pleural effusion was observed in 08 (11.4%) patients within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of left pleural effusion was found in 6 (8.57%) patients. All patients had moderate effusion, which occupied 25% to 75% of hemithorax. Conclusion: One of the early complications after open cardiac surgery is pleural effusion, which needs proper management to reduce mortality and morbidity.