Heart surgery is often associated with breathing complications after the operation. If these can be identified early, the medical management can be modified and outcomes may be improved. This programme of work will investigate whether lung sound analysis may help to identify or predict these complications.
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is associated with a high incidence of post-operative pulmonary complications (PPCs) (in up to 80% of patients) PPCs increase morbidity and mortality as well as the cost burden. It is not yet clear how PPCs develop from post-operative dysfunction. Computer-aided lung sound analysis (CALSA) permits the quantification of sounds generated within the lungs and provides a simple, noninvasive monitoring method, suitable for use in clinical situations. The first phase of this programme of work involves repeated measures of lung sounds pre-operatively and post-operatively (daily until discharge) to seek any association with PPC development
Dr Anne Bruton, Dr Anna Barney
Kuwait University (State Of Kuwait)