Evaluation of post-surgical respiratory functions of patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the changes in respiratory functions of patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy (SG) compared to the pre-operative period.
METHODS: In our study, the pre- and post-operative data of 132 patients who underwent SG for obesity between March 2018 and March 2021 were retrospectively scanned. Post-operative pulmonary function tests and body mass indexes (BMI) at the 3rd, 6th, and 12th month were evaluated.
RESULTS: Of the patients, 99 (75%) were female, 33 were male (25%), and the mean age was 35.6±10.7 (18–63). Pre-operative mean forced expiratory volume in the 1 second of forced was 2.5±0.8. The mean air volume exhaled in the 1 second of forced expiration measured at post-operative 3, 6, and 12 months were 2.5± 0.6, 2.5±0.7, and 2.9±0.7, respectively. The mean air volume exhaled in the first second of forced expiration measured at post-operative 3, 6, and 12 months/forced vital capacity (VC) values was 89.6±7.5; 89.8±8.3, and 89.8±8.8, respectively. While the air volume/forced VC values in the 1 second of the forced expiration measured at the post-operative 3rd, 6th, and 12th month were not statistically significant when compared with the pre-operative values, the improvement in the air volume values in the 1 second of the mean forced expiration at the post-operative 12th month was statistically significant when compared with the pre-operative values (p=0.03). When the mean BMI values at the post-operative 3rd, 6th, and 12th month were compared with the pre-operative values, it was observed that all three values were significantly lower (p<0.001).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In our study, to evaluate airflow limitation, the pre-operative mean air volume exhaled in the 1 second of forced expiration was calculated as 2.5±0.8. The values were re-evaluated at 3rd, 6th, and 12th month postoperatively. While there was no significant difference in the values of the air volume exhaled in the 1 second of the forced expiration compared to the pre-operative period in the post-operative 3rd and 6th month, a significant improvement was found in the values of the air volume exhaled in the 1 second of the forced expiration in the post-operative 12th month of the cases compared to the pre-operative period.