Anaesthesia for thoracoscopic pulmonary lobectomy

This report describes the anaesthetic management of a new surgical procedure--pulmonary lobectomy accomplished by minimal invasive surgery (MIS) techniques. Upper and middle pulmonary lobectomy were performed uneventfully during general anaesthesia in a 76-yr-old woman. No similar report has yet appeared in the literature. Important anaesthetic considerations include safety concerns, the need for differential lung ventilation, and the problems inherent in a lengthy operation. In the appropriate clinical setting, anaesthesia and surgery for major pulmonary resections accomplished by MIS techniques can be performed safely and effectively.