Objective To research the relationship between decrease of serum surfactant protein D (SP-D) level reduced by pulmonary rehabilitation training and postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC). Methods From May 2015 through December 2015, 80 consecutive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with surgical treatment in West China Hospital, who were at least with a high risk factor, were randomly divided into two groups including a group R and a group C. There were 36 patients with 25 males and 11 females at age of 63.98±8.32 years in the group R and 44 patients with 32 males and 12 females at age of 64.58±6.71 years in the group C.The group R underwent an intensive preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) training for one week, and then with lobectomy. The group C underwent only lobectomy with conventional perioperative managements. Postoperative pulmonary complications, average days in hospital, other clinic data and the serum SP-D level in a series of time from the date of admission to discharge (5 time points) were analyzed. Results The incidence of PPC in the group R was 5.56%(2/36),which was lower than that in the group C (P=0.032). The descender of the serum SP-D level of the patients in the group R (30.75±5.57 ng/mlvs. 24.22±3.08 ng/ml) was more obvious than that in the group C (31.16±7.81 ng/mlvs. 30.29±5.80 ng/ml,P=0.012). The descender of the serum SP-D level of the patients with PPC was more obvious than that of patients without PPC (P=0.012). Conclusion The preoperative PR training could reduce the PPC of lung cancer surgery with high risk factors. The serum SP-D level could reflect the effect of preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation training.