[Anesthesia problems in thoracic and lung surgery; the use of althesin as an alternative solution]

Cardiocirculatory stability and arterial blood oxygenation represent the major problems in chest and lung surgery. The need to cut ventilation off from one of the lungs, or from a segment of a lung, may lead to dangerous haemodynamic and respiratory changes. The use of neuroleptoanalgesia guarantees marked cardiocirculatory stability but problems arise out of the need to administer high percentage nitrogen protoxide with consequent hypoxaemia. The use of Althesin surmounted this inconvenience and made it possible to keep basic haemodynamic parameters (heart stroke volume, peripheral resistances, lung resistances) and respiratory parameters (partial pressure in O2 and CO2 in the arterial and venous blood) stable.