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Diagnostic value of visual stethoscopes for detecting bronchospasm in a patient under general anesthesia - A case
Jaeeun Song1, Baehun Moon1, Hyun-Seok Kim1
1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Brain Korea 21 Project, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Background:
Bronchospasm is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication during anesthesia that requires prompt recognition and management. Traditional auscultation plays a key role but is limited in objective interpretation and continuous monitoring.
Case:
We report a case of intraoperative bronchospasm during laparoscopic surgery, detected early through real-time acoustic visualization using a digitalized esophageal stethoscope. The visualization of lung sounds facilitated the rapid identification of expiratory wheezing and abnormal spectrogram patterns characteristic of bronchospasm. Immediate intervention with a bronchodilator resolved the condition without further complications.
Conclusions:
This case demonstrates the utility of visual stethoscopes in enhancing perioperative respiratory management. Real-time visualization and quantification of lung sounds offer anesthesiologists a valuable tool for early diagnosis and collaborative decision-making during critical respiratory events.
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