Single Lung Ventilation versus Two Lung Ventilation in Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Lung Surgeries

Abstract

VATS is being widely used nowadays in thoracic surgeries. One lung ventilation (OLV) is a technique routinely used in thoracic anesthesia to facilitate thoracic surgery. Double lumen tubes (DLT) remain the most popular and reliable choice for one lung ventilation especially in adult patients. Since the advent of OLV, the anesthetic and surgical techniques have come a long way. The safety has increased and complications reduced manifold, as a result of improvement in technique and equipment. Also, lung isolation is now being used in more difficult, uncommon and versatile situations, hence presenting new paradigms for surgeons to explore new horizons with their skill. Development with the same pace is surely going to present the future anaesthesia colleagues with more challenges for their patients, and for themselves. The challenges of thoracic anesthesia are unique among all anesthetic subspecialties. Its practitioners must be well-versed in a wide range of anesthetic management principles, from advanced airway techniques to ventilations strategies and pain management. The two subspecialties of thoracic surgery and thoracic anesthesia continue to co-evolve to improve patient safety and surgical outcomes. The execution of one-lung ventilation still constitutes a challenge in clinical and surgical practice. Many techniques have been developed with the aim of minimizing the related complications. However, further studies are warranted in order to find the ideal way to employ and monitor this technique.