Use of heliox for intraoperative bronchospasm: a case report

Bronchospasm is an anesthetic emergency that can lead to disastrous outcomes if treatment is irresolvable. An anesthesia provider must immediately initiate treatment if bronchospasm is suspected in order to avoid negative sequelae. The following is a case report of a 32-year-old man who experienced refractory bronchospasm upon emergence from general anesthesia. This article discusses the initial treatment attempted at resolving the bronchospasm, as well as the use of heliox in the ultimate resolution of the bronchospasm. Although heliox has been used foryears to treat patients with various respiratory complications, it is not currently a common treatment instituted by anesthesia practitioners for the treatment of bronchospasm. Consideration of the use of heliox may provide another option for the treatment of a patient suffering from refractory bronchospasm.