[Case of delayed extubation in a woman with low pulmonary function]

A 78-year-old woman with low pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 450 ml) underwent an open incisional pulmonary tissue biopsy for suspected diffuse panbronchiolitis and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. She was intubated with a double-lumen tracheal tube after receiving 0.57 mg x kg(-1) of rocuronium and 0.9 mg kg(-1) of propofol. Under one-lung ventilation, the PaCO2 was 54-74 mmHg and PaO2 was 121-127 mmHg until 50 min after lung recruitment, after which the PaCO2 decreased to 62-66 mmHg and PaO2 increased to 283-382 mmHg. The operation ended uneventfully. Although the rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade was reversed by 2.0 mg x kg(-1) of sugammadex (train-of-four ratio, nearly 100%), it seemed a little difficult to extubate the patient just after the operation because blood gas analysis showed a pH 7.39, PaCO2 of 66 mmHg and PaO2 382 mmHg with FIO2 1.0. The blood gas analysis revealed pH 7.52, PaCO2 44.5 mmH and PaO2 144 mmHg with FIO2 of 0.4. The patient was successfully extubated with no respiratory complication 10 h after the end of the operation on the first postoperative day.