Improved oxygenation during one-lung ventilation achieved with an embolectomy catheter acting as a selective lobar endobronchial blocker

A Comparison Between Selective Lobar Bronchial Blockade and Main Bronchial Blockade in Pediatric Thoracoscopic Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this study was to assess the effect of selective lobar blockade on the risk of hypoxemia during one-lung ventilation in pediatric patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery.

DESIGN

This was a retrospective matched case-control cohort study.

SETTING

The study was performed in a teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 60 pediatric patients who underwent thoracoscopic surgery in the authors' hospital from March 2020 to March 2021 were analyzed.

INTERVENTIONS

The authors examined their electronic medical records and found 30 patients in whom selective lobar blockade was used. These patients then were matched to 30 other patients in whom routine main bronchial blockade was performed in the authors' center based on age, weight, sex, side of surgery, and type of surgery.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The inclusion criteria were four-fold: (1) pediatric patients with scheduled thoracoscopic resection of the middle and lower lobe lesions; (2) no obvious anesthesia or surgical contraindications; (3) American Society of Anesthesiologists class I to II; and (4) age younger than one year old. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) pediatric patients whose trachea was intubated with a size less than 3.0 mm; (2) a difficult airway; (3) changes in ventilation patterns during surgery; and (4) severe pneumonia and respiratory and circulatory system dysfunction. The following patient data were collected: (1) general clinical information; (2) mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, central venous pressure, airway peak pressure (Ppeak), oxygenation index (PaO₂/F_IO₂ ratio), and alveolar-arterial oxygen differential pressure (AaDO2) at different time points; that is, before one-lung ventilation (OLV) (T1), ten minutes after OLV (T2), and ten minutes after the end of OLV (T3); (3) degree of lung collapse ten minutes after OLV; (4) operative duration; and (5) the prevalence of hypoxemia, the number of adjustments required for intraoperative displacement of the bronchial blocker, and pulmonary atelectasis. A total of 135 patients were selected, and 60 pediatric patients (30 in group S and 30 in group R) were included in this study. There were no significant differences in age, sex, weight, general preoperative data, degree of lung collapse, or operative duration (p > 0.05). The perioperative hemodynamics between the two groups were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The oxygenation index, AaDO2, and Ppeak were not significantly different between the two groups at the T1 time point (p > 0.05). However, the oxygenation index was higher, and AaDO2 and Ppeak were lower in group S than in group R at the T2 and T3 time points (p < 0.05). The incidence of atelectasis, the prevalence of hypoxemia, and the number of adjustments required for intraoperative displacement of the bronchial blocker in group S were lower than those in group R (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Selective lobar bronchial blockade, using a bronchial blocker in pediatric thoracoscopic surgery, may represent an alternative to excluding the main bronchial blockade for patients undergoing middle and lower lobe procedures, which may improve intraoperative oxygenation and reduce postoperative atelectasis.

Lung isolation in patients with previous lung resections: Selective sequential lobar blockade using a Fuji Uniblocker® endobronchial blocker

Lung isolation is essential during thoracic surgery, as it allows the thoracic surgeon to visualise and work in the surgical field. The occurrence of hypoxaemia during lung isolation is common, and is even more so in patients with decreased pulmonary functional reserve. The clinical cases are presented of 2 patients with a history of left pulmonary resections (1st left lower lobectomy, 2nd left lower lobectomy and left upper lobe segmentectomy), in which sequential selective lobar blockade was performed with Fuji Uniblocker^® endobronchial blocker for performing right lung atypical resections (right upper lobe, middle lobe, and right lower lobe). In our experience the technique was successful, the surgical field was optimal and no intra- or post-operative complications were found. This technique may be an alternative to traditional lung isolation in patients with compromised respiratory function (low functional reserve or previous contralateral lung resections).

Combined use of a double-lumen tube and Fogarty catheter to prevent the endobronchial spread of infection: a case report

Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder with an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. Patients with Huntington's disease show an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia when the pharyngeal muscle is invaded. We report a case of advanced-stage Huntington's disease in which the patient received right middle lobectomy for a lung abscess caused by repeated aspiration. The best lung isolation technique has not yet been established in these patients. We successfully performed selective lobar isolation of the right lower and middle lobes using a double lumen tube and a Fogarty embolectomy catheter.