Major key topics concerning respiratory function after aortic aneurysm repair

Pulmonary complications are the most frequent after major aortic surgery; the aortic cross clamping is associated with an increased lung elastance; the postoperative period is characterised by a reduced oxygenation due to pulmonary edema; the pulmonary edema is likely to be due to aortic cross clamping and ischemia-reperfusion of the territories beyond the aortic cross clamping; the retroperitoneal approach to aortic surgery is not superior to the transperitoneal one in terms of postoperative lung function.