Anaesthesia for video-assisted thoracoscopic patent ductus arteriosus ligation

The case notes of children undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic ligation of a patent ductus arteriosus were reviewed with particular emphasis on the anaesthetic management. All children were managed using one-lung ventilation with no serious adverse sequelae. The lungs could be isolated easily in all cases and no special equipment was required. We describe our initial series of 13 cases and discuss the anaesthetic implications arising from this surgical technique. We also discuss the different ways of monitoring duct closure.