title: An unusual way to use an endobronchial blocker.
abstract: The techniques for lung isolation in infants are, endobronchial intubation and bronchical blockade with Fogarty catheter or a univent tube. Unlike endobronchial intubation, bronchial blockade has the advantage that lung can be segregated at will. Endobronchial blocker is usually placed as a planned procedure just after induction of anaesthesia either under vision with the help of a fibreoptic bronchoscope or alternatively a rigid bronchoscope is used to position it in either bronchus and later the trachea. We report here a rather unusual and desperate way of using a Fogarty catheter halfway through the surgery due to unforeseen bleeding during thoracotomy. The pros and cons of attempting selective segregation and regional ventilation of lung under these circumstances is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Anaesthesia, Rajkumar Society, Wadhavli Village Chembur, Mumbai, India. lakshmil@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vas