Pediatric Thoracoscopy and Bronchial Blockers: The Continued Search for the Ideal One-Lung Ventilation

• Published in: Journal of laparoendoscopic & advanced surgical techniques. Part A Vol. 26; no. 2; p. 153
• Main Authors: Cerchia, Elisa, Ferrero, Luisa, Molinaro, Francesco, Donato, Lionel, Messina, Mario, Becmeur, François
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-02-2016
• Subjects: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Conversion to Open Surgery; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; One-Lung Ventilation - instrumentation; One-Lung Ventilation - methods; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Thoracoscopy - methods
• ISSN: 1557-9034
• DOI: 10.1089/lap.2015.0235

Thoracoscopic surgical procedures in small infants and children require a growing demand for lung isolation in pediatric anesthesia practice.
Between January 2006 and September 2014, 16 children underwent thoracoscopic procedures that needed one-lung ventilation using a bronchial blocker.
The thoracoscopic procedure was performed at a mean age of 99 months (range, 6-186 months) and a mean weight of 33 kg (range, 7-68 kg) without any conversion to open surgery in any case. We were able to achieve one-lung ventilation in all patients. The quality of lung deflation was excellent in all patients except in 1 due to malposition of the bronchial blocker, whereas dislodgement of this device occurred in 2 cases.
The use of a bronchial blocker provided a highly effective means of one-lung ventilation for children undergoing the thoracoscopic approach.