IN GENERAL surgical practice the patient with pulmonary disease may be approached with such caution that treatment may be unnecessarily delayed or avoided. Since there is little in the literature upon the subject, it is the purpose of this communication to review the experiences of a pulmonary disease hospital in the hope that it will be of assistance in evaluating the problem.
Materials and Methods
From January 1954 to January 1964, 185 major nonthoracic operations were performed at the Ray Brook State Tuberculosis Hospital upon 163 patients with pulmonary disease, principally tuberculosis. Extent of tuberculosis is classified according to the standards of the National Tuberculosis Association. Expectorations were examined for tubercle bacilli by concentrate and cultured upon Hohn's medium. Timed and total vital capacities were performed with the patient erect employing a modified Benedict Roth spirometer and stop watch as previously outlined.1 Predicted vital capacity was calculated by using