Ambroxol for prophylaxis and treatment of bronchopulmonary complications after chest surgery.

A double-blind clinical trial has been carried out with 40 patients hospitalized for thoracic pathology requiring surgery (cancer of the lungs, hamartoma, pleural mesothelioma, bullous dystrophy or emphysema of the lung). The purpose was to determine the effectiveness of the drug in preventing and in treating postoperative bronchopulmonary complications. The results showed that the patients treated with 1g of ambroxol for three days before surgery, on the day of the operation and for five days afterwards had a more rapid turnover of intra-alveolar surface tension and better re-expansion of the pulmonary parenchyma after surgery. They also had better mucociliary clearance of the respiratory tract. These improvements are indispensable for limiting bronchopulmonary complications after chest surgery.