[Lung resection affects the postoperative arrhythmia and electrocardiographic axis deviation].

After lung lobectomy or pneumonectomy, the mediastinal shift and diaphragmatic elevation are occurred. Because this phenomenon may affect the heart positional change, we studied the electrocardiographic QRS axis in the frontal plane (from leads I and III) and the postoperative arrhythmia. Seventy three patients who had no heart disease including arrhythmia before the surgery were recorded their electrocardiogram (ECG) before their surgery and after their discharge. When the postoperative ECG was recorded, they had no respiratory failure nor cancer recurrence, and their lungs were fully expanded in their thoracic cages. After right upper lobectomy (19 cases), the axis was twisted rightward slightly (2.1 degrees). Right middle lobectomy (2 cases, 9.5 degrees) and right upper and middle lobectomies (3 cases, 7.3 degrees) twisted the heart axes more rightwards. Right lower lobectomy (12 cases, -1.0 degree) and right middle and lower lobectomies (3 cases, -17.7 degrees) contorted their axes leftwards and right pneumonectomy (5 cases, 31.4 degrees) rightwards. The axes were turned rightwards after the left upper lobectomy (18 cases, 2.8 degrees) and the left lower lobectomy (7 cases, 3.9 degrees). Left pneumonectomy (4 cases, -4.0 degrees) twisted the axis leftwards. After the surgery, arrhythmias were recorded in 14 cases and, among these patients, 5 cases were required the oral anti-arrhythmic medication. Most of these cases changed their heart axes after the surgery and it is suggested that the axial deviation may contribute to their postoperative arrhythmia.