Aims: To assess the influence of age, cancer type, and diverse risk factors on the occurrence of postoperative pulmonary infection (PPI) in patients undergoing thoracic surgery.

Aims: To assess the influence of age, cancer type, and diverse risk factors on the occurrence of postoperative pulmonary infection (PPI) in patients undergoing thoracic surgery.

Methods: The study encompassed a cohort of 231 patients who underwent thoracic surgery. These patients were randomly divided into two groups: a modeling population comprising 185 patients and a validation population comprising 46 patients, using a random number method at a ratio of 4:1. Bivariate logistic regression models were utilized to discern variables independently predictive of postoperative complications, utilizing SPSS 26.0 (SPSS Institute, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).

Results: The analysis unveiled that male patients, individuals aged 65 years or older, and those with a history of smoking or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were significantly more predisposed to the development of postoperative pneumonia. Conversely, diabetes and hypertension were not identified as risk factors. Patients with extended intubation times, higher peri-operative bleeding, prolonged hospitalization, and longer operating times displayed an increased likelihood of developing postoperative pneumonia. Intriguingly, preoperative treatments like antibiotic administration and aerosol inhalation did not demonstrate a significant reduction in postoperative pneumonia incidence. Hematological assessments revealed that low preoperative albumin (pre-ALB) levels and other specific markers served as potential indicators of postoperative pneumonia. Binary logistic regression analysis identified pulmonary function, intubation duration, intraoperative bleeding, pre-ALB levels post-operation, and the duration of preoperative hospital stay as significant risk factors. A risk model formula was formulated and validated, successfully demonstrating model construction.

Conclusion: These findings underscore the pivotal importance of taking patient age, cancer type, and various risk factors into account when predicting and managing postoperative pneumonia in thoracic surgery patients.