Preoperative assessment of myocardial ischemia in thoracic surgery for lung cancer

BACKGROUND: Morbidity of myocardial ischemia in the thoracic surgery for lung cancer has been reported in the literatures, although, the risk of myocardial ischemia is not well identified preoperatively. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of severe coronary stenosis in the thoracic surgery for lung cancer. METHODS: From January 2004 to December 2006, data were collected concerning 175 consecutive patients underwent lung resection for lung cancer. Prior to the surgery, we performed coronary angiography on the patients with either ischemic change in the exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) testing or comorbid conditions (current or previous smoking, hypertention, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia or history of chest pain). RESULTS: Fifty-eight (33%) patients underwent coronary angiography. Coronary stenosis was detected in 19 patients (10.9%), including 6 patients (3.4%) with severe stenosis. These 6 patients received percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting prior to the lung resection, which resulted in no incidence of perioperative myocardial ischemia. Three of 6 patients with severe stenosis were negative for ischemic changes in exercise ECG testing. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of severe coronary stenosis is 3.4%, which is supposed to indicate the risk of perioperative myocardial ischemia in the thoracic surgery for lung cancer.