Purpose of review: Quantification and optimization of perioperative risk factors focusing on anesthesia-related strategies to reduce postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after lung and esophageal surgery. Recent findings: There is an increasing amount of multimorbid patients undergoing thoracic surgery due to the demographic development and medical progress in perioperative medicine. Nevertheless, the rate of PPCs after thoracic surgery is still up to 30–50% with a significant influence on patients’ outcome. PPCs are ranked first among the leading causes of early mortality after thoracic surgery. Although patients’ risk factors are usually barely modifiable, current research focuses on procedural risk factors. From the surgical position, the minimal-invasive approach using video-assisted thoracoscopy and laparoscopy leads to a decreased rate of PPCs. The anesthesiological strategy to reduce the incidence of PPCs after thoracic surgery includes neuroaxial anesthesia, lung-protective ventilation, and goal-directed hemodynamic therapy. Summary: The main anesthesiological strategies to reduce PPCs after thoracic surgery include the use of epidural anesthesia, lung-protective ventilation: PEEP (positive end-expiratory pressure) of 5–8 mbar, tidal volume of 5 ml/kg BW (body weight) and goal-directed hemodynamics: CI (cardiac index) ≥ 2.5 l/min per m², MAD (Mean arterial pressure) ≥ 70 mmHg, SVV (stroke volume variation) < 10% with a total amount of perioperative crystalloid fluids ≤ 6 ml/kg BW (body weight) per hour.

Postoperative complications after lung surgery are frequent, having a detrimental effect on patients’ further course. Complications may lead to an increased length of hospital stay and cause additional costs. Several risk factors have been identified but it is still difficult to predict contemporary which patients are at risk. We hypothesized that patients who show an increased inflammatory response at the time of wound closure and 24 hours after surgery are at risk of postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery. Postoperative complications (pulmonary, cardiac, neurological and renal) of 96 patients scheduled for lung surgery at the Medical Center–University of Freiburg were analyzed in this prospective, clinical study. Blood samples for cytokine analysis (Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, Tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, IL-1ß and IL12p70) were taken before surgery, at wound closure and 24 hours after surgery. Cytokine levels of patients with and without postoperative complications were analyzed by Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. To adjust the results according to existing covariates a multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted. The complication and non-complication group differed significantly according to nicotine dependency, Angiotensin-receptor-II blocker medication, rate of thoracotomy and preoperative lung function. The intraoperative hemodynamic parameters and therapy did not differ between the groups. Twenty-nine patients (30%) developed postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery. Plasma concentrations of IL-6, IL-10 and IL-8 at the time of wound closure and 24 hours after surgery were higher in the complication group. Multivariate regression analysis on postoperative complications revealed an Odds ratio of 56 for patients with IL-6 and IL-8 levels above the 3^rd quartile measured on the first postoperative day. Perioperative detection of increased plasma concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in lung surgery may be used in addition to other clinical predictors to identify patients at risk for postoperative complications. German Clinical Trials Register 00006961.