Document Classification

Section Type: RESULTS

Text: On the fourth postoperative day, both groups had a significant decrease in vital capacity (percentage of predicted values) when compared with preoperative values (preoperative vs fourth day : standard sternotomy group, 87. 8 % + / - 14. 3 % vs 42. 1 % + / - 10. 2 % [P <. 0001] ; ministernotomy group, 84. 5 % + / - 14. 3 % vs 41. 5 % + / - 11. 8 % [P <. 0001]), with a significant tendency for recovery from the fourth to the tenth postoperative day (fourth vs tenth postoperative day : standard sternotomy group, 42. 1 % + / - 10. 2 % vs 66. 3 % + / - 12. 3 % [P =. 001] ; ministernotomy group, 41. 5 % + / - 11. 8 % vs 61. 3 % + / - 13. 1 % [P =. 002]).